[Partial splenectomy requiring ligation of splenic vessels. Apropos of 40 cases]

Conservative treatment of the spleen is generally based on segmental terminal vascularization of the spleen. The practise of partial splenectomies in the case of major trauma and hilar hydatid cyst led us to perform subtotal splenectomies after splenic vessel ligation. The upper pole splenic remnant after reduction of its volume, remains vascularized by other short vessels through the gastro-splenic ligament. The lower pole splenic remnant remains vascularized by the left gastro-epiploic artery. The follow-up of 40 subtotal splenectomies performed in these conditions revealed better results than those obtained after spleen autotransplantation in the omentum. Conservation of all the vessels of the gastro-epiploic ligament allows gastric transposition of the spleen.