Surgical intervention in patients with aplastic anemia

Eighteen surgical procedures have been performed on 14 cases of aplastic anemia (AA). Of the 10 major surgical procedures, 7 were emergency and 3 elective. The median duration from the diagnosis of AA to major surgery was 0.5 months (3 days-47.3 months), and the median survival after surgery was 12.3 months (4 days-38 months). The hematological status of AA at the time of major surgery were 3 in partial response (PR), 2 with no response (NR) and 5 at diagnosis, respectively; and those after major surgery were 2 with complete response (CR), 2 in PR, 1 with minimal response, and 2 in NR. Three postoperative complications were sepsis, pneumonia and atelectasis encountered in 2 cases. A total of 3 deaths were caused by infection and cancers. Considering the fact that surgery may not only control complications, but offer the opportunity to give effective therapy for AA and therefore improves chances for survival, it is strongly suggested that active surgical intervention should be performed if the patient's status is not terminal.