[Observational study of splenectomized patients]

Nearly 4,000 splenectomies are currently performed per year, in France. Few is none about medical practices concerning anti-pneumoccocal immunization and prophylactic antibiotherapy in these patients. The risks of pneumococcal sepsis in splenectomized patients has not been recently reassessed. To address these issues, an observational study of patients undergoing splenectomy, with the enrollment of 600 to 800 patients per year on a 5-year period, is proposed.