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. 1976 Feb;183(2):124–129. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197602000-00007

Incidental splenectomy: a review of the literature and the New York Hospital experience.

D N Danforth Jr, B Thorbjarnarson
PMCID: PMC1344073  PMID: 1247309

Abstract

981 consecutive splenectomies at The New York Hospital were reviewed. 18.9% were removed incidental to some other procedure, either to facilitate exposure or because of uncontrolled bleeding from capsular tears. The primary operation with which this was most frequently associated was gastric resection for peptic ulcer disease, accounting for 20.5% of the spleens so removed. Conversely, the incidental splenectomy was noted in only 0.91% of all gastrectomies and 1.4% of all left colectomies designated as nonradical procedures. It is therefore seldom a necessary procedure. Incidental splenectomy is more frequent when midline abdoiminal incisions are employed, less frequent with paramedian or left rectus splitting incisions. 85% of the spleens removed incidentally were grossly and microscopically unremarkable; lacerations most probably result from excessive manipulation rather than pathological changes predisposing to rupture. The postoperative morbidity and mortality is discussed and is felt to be increased significantly by the incidental splenectomy.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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