[Can the injured spleen be preserved? Results of 20-year experiments]

Researches of different spleen salvaging techniques have begun in 1986 at our department. The early purpose was to develop new spleen preservation surgical techniques, such as spleen autotransplantation and spleen resection. Besides the morphological and radiological examinations we also performed different investigations including hemorheological, hemostaseological and immunological follow-up of the splenic function. From these parameters changes in red blood cell deformability and peripheral phagocyte activity could indicate the possible complications originated from the reduced splenic function. Recent paper takes a survey of these experiences.