[Experiences with primary and secondary laparotomy with splenectomy in Hodgkin's disease]

The explorative laparotomy with splenectomy belongs under adequately strong indication to the standard techniques of the dilated diagnostics and stage subdivision of lymphogranulomatosis. 61 patients of the Medical Academy Magdeburg were exploratively laparotomised from 1974--1978, of them 38 patients primarily before the beginning of the therapy and 23 patients secondarily 1--8 years after therapy. Changes of the stages before and after laparotomy, relations between affection of the spleen and histological type and primary histology, respectively, as well as weight of the spleen are discussed, postoperative complications are explained and adequate conclusions rendered.