Question 1

how long can you live without spleen? higher chance of cancer or serious life issues? had a splenectomy. am 20 years old want to live to 80

Accepted Answer

Having no spleen: is not uncommon, many people don't, either born without, lose it to a disease or trauma ,get it urgically removed,or due to other conditions,vaccines against pneumococcus,meningitis and h. Flu should be administered, others like flu shots every year would be needed, antibiotics should be started as soon as infection is suspected, keep antibiotics handy when you travel, follow up with doctor often,

Question 2

adult patients with itp coexist with elevated antiphospholipid antibodies that have splenectomy,do they need to take heparin or warfarin for life time?

Accepted Answer

Generally : May need anticoagulant.  They also may need to be maintained on higher platelet to minimize the adverse effects of anticoagulants.  This has to be discussed with the treating hematologist

Question 3

what is a splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

Surgery: It is surgery to remove the spleen. Can be open or laparoscopic surgery.

Question 4

what are the reasons for a splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

HS: Hereditary spherocytosis. Spleen causes destruction of rbcs which are spherical in shape in this disease and hence spleen needs to be taken out.

Question 5

what are the main risks of splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

Bleeding: Bleeding, injury to surrounding organs such as the stomach, liver and pancreas, wound infections are the acute risks.  Long term risks are mainly the risk of post-splenectomy sepsis which can be minimized with the use of post splenectomy vaccines.

Question 6

is the splenectomy a risky thing to do?

Accepted Answer

Early&Late Risks: Splenectomy is usually performed as an emergency operation after trauma or an elective operation to treat hematologic diseases.  Early risks include bleeding requiring transfusion and injury to adjacent organs including the stomach and colon.  Late risks are related to an increased risk of infection from encapsulated bacteria, necessitating periodic immunizations for extra protection.

Question 7

is an open splenectomy a very long procedure?

Accepted Answer

No.: The operative time for an open splenectomy is between 60-90 minutes.  The recovery time includes a 4-5 day hospital stay and 3-4 weeks before returning to normal activities.  In contrast, a laparoscopic splenectomy may take longer but the recovery times are cut in half.

Question 8

what are the common complications of splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

Depends: Most of the time there are no complications. A pneumococcal vaccine is used before surgery to help with your immunity after surgery. Risks of bleeding or infection after surgery are low. Open and laparoscopic surgery options are available for some people, and recovery after laparoscopic surgery may be quicker.

Question 9

how common is it for someone to need  a splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

Not too common: Removal of the spleen is generally reserved for conditions such as trauma or accident with spleen rupture. Other conditions could be from disease called itp causing low platelets. There are some rare lymphoma cancers than may need splenectomy. Also rarely is severe spleen enlargement from uncommon blood or bone marrow disorders.

Question 10

what kind of shots are you supposed to get after a splenectomy?

Accepted Answer

3 shots: You should get shots for meningococcus, hemophilus, and Pneumococcus bacterias.  They all posses a capsule that normally the spleen will take care of.

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Doctor answers about:

Life after a splenectomy

A member asked:

How long can you live without spleen? higher chance of cancer or serious life issues? had a splenectomy. am 20 years old want to live to 80

A member asked:

Adult patients with itp coexist with elevated antiphospholipid antibodies that have splenectomy,do they need to take heparin or warfarin for life time?

A member asked:

What is a splenectomy?

A member asked:

What are the reasons for a splenectomy?

A member asked:

What are the main risks of splenectomy?

A member asked:

Is the splenectomy a risky thing to do?

A member asked:

Is an open splenectomy a very long procedure?

A member asked:

What are the common complications of splenectomy?

A member asked:

How common is it for someone to need a splenectomy?

A member asked:

What kind of shots are you supposed to get after a splenectomy?

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