Abstract:
Introduction: In the case of abdominal injuries the statistics of the spleen damage is 57% while the
mortality - up to 36,6%. Most cases of spleen injuries require splenectomy which may result in multiple
early and late postoperative complications and even death (21,4%). The post-splenectomy syndrome that
appears to be a common complication has a negative impact upon the patient’s quality-of-life index and
social adaptation.
Goals: The analysis of the treatment results and the assessment of the quality-of-life index in the case
of patients who undergone splenectomy compared to the patients who undergone organ-preserving operations and non-operative treatment methods.
Objectives: 1. Research of the frequency and type of early post-splenectomy complications in case of
patients who undergone splenectomy compared to patients who undergone organ-preserving operations
and non-operative treatment methods.
2. Research of the frequency and type of late post-splenectomy complications in case of both group’s
patients.
Materials and Methods: The authors have studied 48 medical records and carried out a survey of 46
patients who had suffered from spleen injury and undergone treatment at the National Scientific-Practic
Center of Emergency Medicine, RM, 2009-2011.
Results and Discussion: The average age of the researched group was 38,72± 17,93. Early complications in the case of post-splenectomy patients have appeared in the case of 60% of patients, 44,66% being
infectious complications; in the case of patients who undergone organ-preserving operations - 6,25%
while the late complications. The late post-operative period in the post-splenectomy patients’ group was
marked by a larger number of infectious complications’ cases (36,33±14,99 compared to 36,33±14,99 and
14,44±7,24 in two other groups) and by a significantly lower quality-of-life index.
Conclusions: 1. The frequency of early complications in the post-splenectomy group is 9 times higher
than in the case of the group of patients who undergone organ-preserving operations. Most complications are caused by infections (pneumonia, sub-diaphragmatic abscess, peritonitis).
2. The late complications in the post-splenectomy group have a mostly infectious nature (increased
incidence of infections and increased frequency of chronic diseases’ exacerbations). The use of organ preserving tactics in cases of spleen injuries allows to improve the quality-of-life index of operated patients in the late post-operative period.
