[Explorative laparotomy combined with splenectomy in malignant lymphomas (evaluation of 52 medical records) (author's...

52 medical records of patients with malignant lymphomas, who had been treated by explorative laparotomy and splenectomy, were evaluated retrospectively. In all patients lymphography and splenic scintigraphy had been performed prior to surgical treatment, and in most of them additional liver scintigraphy. The splenic scintigram was true-positive in 11 cases, false-positive in 6, false-negative in 8, and true-negative in 27 cases. Lymphography was true-positive in 9 and false-positive in 17 cases, false-negative in 4 and true-negative in 22 cases. Comparison shows that explorative laparotomy and splenectomy, in spite of the postoperative complications which have been mentioned, cannot be replaced by modern diagnostic possibilities, provided that indication is carefully considered.