Postoperative infection risk after splenectomy: A prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Splenectomy is known to increase the lifelong risk of severe infections.
• The early post-operative infectious complication risk after splenectomy, particularly following trauma or elective procedures, remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between splenectomy and the risk of post-operative infectious complications.
• To compare infectious complication rates in patients undergoing splenectomy versus other abdominal surgeries.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of prospectively collected data from surgical intensive care unit (SICU) admissions between January 2011 and July 2013.
• Comparison of infectious complications in patients who underwent splenectomy (n=33) versus those who underwent other abdominal surgeries (n=493).
• Statistical analysis adjusted for patient demographics, comorbidities, and injury severity (APACHE IV score).

Main Results:

• Patients undergoing splenectomy had a higher risk of infectious complications (49% vs. 29%) and intra-abdominal abscesses (9% vs. 3%) compared to controls, even after adjustment.
• Splenectomy patients were more likely to have sustained traumatic injuries (30% vs. 7%).
• No significant difference in overall infectious complications was observed between traumatic and elective splenectomy subgroups, but intra-abdominal abscesses occurred only in the elective group.

Conclusions:

• Splenectomy is associated with an increased risk of post-operative infectious complications.
• Further research is needed to identify strategies for mitigating the morbidity associated with splenectomy-related infections.