Safety of splenectomy during pregnancy

The aim of our study is to evaluate the risk of morbidity and mortality of splenectomy in pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women.

We conducted a retrospective population-based matched cohort study using the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2003 to 2011. Pregnant women with splenectomy were age-matched to non-pregnant women with splenectomy. We compared risks of morbidity and mortality between pregnant and non-pregnant women using conditional logistic regression analysis.

The non-pregnant group had an excess of white patients and a greater proportion of Medicaid and private insurance users. There was a tendency for greater frequency of laparotomies in pregnant patients. Risk of VTE, portal vein thrombosis, renal failure and sepsis were comparable between the groups. Risk for transfusion was higher amongst pregnant women (OR 2.2, 95% CI (1.7-2.8)), as was the risk for a longer hospital stay (OR 1.7, 95% CI (1.4-2.1)).

Caution should be taken when performing splenectomy during pregnancy as risk for complications and mortality may be increased. Additional measures should be undertaken to have blood units on reserve for this population.