Complications of splenectomy for splenic injury

From March 1986 to October 1991, there were 97 patients undergoing splenectomy for traumatic spleen injury at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung. Their ages ranged from 6 to 73 years with a mean of 39. The most common cause was blunt abdominal trauma (94/97). Sixty-five patients received splenectomy only and thirty-two patients had other operative procedures in addition to splenectomy. The most common complication in this study was intraabdominal abscess (7/97); followed by respiratory problems (5/97); postoperative hemorrhage (3/97) and wound infection (3/97). Postsplenectomy sepsis occurred in one case. There were nine cases of in-hospital mortality. Sepsis, prolonged shock and severe head injury were the main causes of death.