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Elective splenectomy for hematological diseases: a vanishing indication
Sonia Fernández-Ananin1,2, Silvana Novelli3, Lorena Cambeiro Cabré4
1Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Medical School, Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Sant Quintí 89, 08041, Barcelona, Spain. Sonia.Fernandez@uab.cat.
Introduction:
Splenectomy has been used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the management of hematological diseases for many years. However, the emergence of new medical therapies has modified guidelines for many hematological diseases for which splenectomy was previously considered. We aimed to evaluate the evidence of a decrease in the hematological indications for splenectomy and the reasons and justifications for this change.
Material And Methods:
We conducted a single-center, retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy for hematological disease between January 2010 and December 2023. Patients were classified into four groups: 1 autoimmune and hemolytic diseases (HAD), (2) lymphomas, (3) myeloproliferative diseases (MPN), and (4) other splenic diseases. We recorded the annual incidence of splenectomy and the ratio of new medical cases, demographic and clinical data and surgical outcomes.
Results:
During the study period, 98 patients were referred for splenectomy. There was a significant progressive decrease in this surgical indication, particularly regarding HAD (p < 0.001). The indication for splenectomy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) declined to zero despite an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with this disorder (p < 0.001). The pattern of decrease in AHAI and Evans syndrome was similar to that in ITP. The group of splenectomies due to lymphoma persisted consistently during the study period, as did the indication for splenectomy in the context of lymphoma treatment. Splenectomy due to massive splenomegaly secondary to MPN was indicated only in one patient. Splenectomies due to other causes were similarly distributed over the years.
Conclusions:
Our findings confirm a significant decrease in the indication for elective surgery for hematological diseases, mainly regarding autoimmune disease. The surgical community and surgical departments should be aware of this situation yet maintain the skills to adopt this technique both safely and efficiently.
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