Splenectomy Impact and Outcome Among Patients With Sickle Cell Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Splenectomy is common in sickle cell disease (SCD), but long-term outcomes are not fully understood.
• Evaluating the impact of splenectomy on clinical outcomes in SCD patients is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical outcomes of splenectomy in adult Saudi patients with SCD.
• To evaluate perioperative physician practices related to splenectomy in SCD.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 245 adult Saudi SCD patients (40 splenectomy, 205 non-splenectomy).
• Data collected via structured interviews and electronic health records.
• Included sociodemographics, SCD features, surgical details, and post-splenectomy outcomes.

Main Results:

• Splenectomy group had higher rates of acute chest syndrome and pain crisis admissions pre-surgery.
• Post-splenectomy, admissions and transfusion needs decreased.
• However, splenectomy was associated with increased prevalence of stroke, venous thrombosis, and acute chest syndrome.

Conclusions:

• Splenectomy in SCD can decrease hospital admissions and transfusion requirements.
• It may increase risks of thromboembolic events and acute chest syndrome.
• Careful patient selection and perioperative management are key to optimizing splenectomy outcomes in SCD.