[Technical aspects of spleen saving therapy in splenic trauma]

The haematological and immunological consequences of splenectomy have been the subject of increasingly intensive studies over the last few years. As a result there has been a significant change in the management of splenic trauma with the emphasis on organ preservation which has been associated with a possible reduction in postoperative infectious complications. The safety of splenic preservation (splenorrhaphy) has been demonstrated. There has also been a change in the increased use of non-surgical (conservative) management of injuries in adults, a policy which previously was reserved for children. There is no difference in the postoperative bleeding rate between patients with splenectomies or patients with splenorrhaphies. Non-surgical treatment is in adults not yet established. In our department splenic preservation gets an increasing weight in our treatment policy, even in patients with multiple injuries. Our treatment policy initially classifies the splenic injury into one of five groups and this determines the subsequent operative procedures. The crucial part of the surgical technique in splenic preservation involves the immediate dissection and delivery of the spleen from its subdiaphragmatic position, thus avoiding iatrogenic injuries which can readily occur in the emergency situation. The hilus is then clamped with a non-crushing vascular or intestinal clamp, which avoids blood loss during the repair. The methods used for the repair depend on the grade of the injury. Means to prevent sutures cutting through the tissue (resorbable collagen platelets, resorbable gauze, teflon stripes) and a variety of methods to achieve haemostasis (infra red photocoagulation, haemostatic material and supportive mesh) are used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)