Laparoscopic Splenectomy for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) Patients with Very Severe Thrombocytopenia

Laparoscopic approach is considered as gold standard for splenectomy in patients with Immune Thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The evidence for safety and feasibility of laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) in patients with very severe thrombocytopenia (< 10,000 μL) is limited. A retrospective study of 32 ITP patients who underwent LS between July 2012 and November 2016. The ITP patients who had platelet counts < 10,000 μL (Group A, n = 15) and > 10,000 μL (Group B, n = 17) were compared with respect to operative time, blood loss, conversion rate, perioperative blood transfusion, the length of hospital stay and postoperative complications. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to operative time (p = 0.07), intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.75), postoperative complications (p = 0.23) and hospital stay (p = 0.15). None of the patients in the two groups required conversion to open procedure. No intra operative blood transfusion was required. In Group A, 3 patients (with platelet count less than 2000 μL) received platelet transfusion at induction of anesthesia while 10 others received after ligation of the splenic artery. There was no difference in the operative time, blood loss, postoperative complications and hospital stay between them. LS is a safe and feasible procedure for ITP patients with very severe thrombocytopenia. In these patients, the timing of intraoperative platelet transfusion does not influence perioperative and anesthetic complications.