Overcoming transfusion-refractory anemia: partial splenic embolization to facilitate orthopedic surgery in...

β-thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic disorder. Non-transfusion-dependent patients typically present with mild anemic symptoms under normal conditions, but may develop severe anemia during stress states. Moreover, treatment is often challenging due to concurrent hypersplenism.This article reports a case of a young male patient with non-transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia who was admitted to the hospital due to a closed fracture of the right femur. After admission, the patient developed severe anemia and showed a poor response to blood transfusion therapy. Considering the association with hypersplenism, partial splenic embolization (PSE) was performed. Postoperatively, the patient’s anemia improved significantly, and he successfully underwent closed reduction and intramedullary nailing for the right femoral fracture. The fracture site of the right femur healed well after surgery, and he was able to walk with the assistance of a single crutch. This case demonstrates that partial splenic embolization is an effective adjuvant treatment strategy for transfusion-refractory β-thalassemia individual with hypersplenism, providing a new approach for managing such complex clinical scenarios.