Spleen removal

Alternative names:

splenectomy

Risks:

Risks for any anesthesia are:

• reactions to medications
• problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

• bleeding
• infection

Additional risks include:

• increased risk for infection after splenectomy (children are at higher risk for this complication).

Children recovering from the surgery should be vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia and need long term treatment with antibiotic drugs to prevent significant, post-splenectomy sepsis.