Spleen surgery takes on average of 3 hours to 5 hours to complete although it may take a bit longer in some cases.
After the spleen surgery you will usually be in the hospital for 4 days to 7 days.
Spleen surgery itself is not painful as you'll be sedated although you may feel sore and be bruised after the spleen surgery or splenectomy but you will be given pain medicines to relieve the pain.
The organ that takes over after spleen removal is your liver which means you'll still be able to cope with most infections as the liver can take over many of the functions of the spleen.
Do not drive or drink beer or any alcohol until at least 24 hours have passed since the splenectomy.
In order to be discharged from the hospital after the splenectomy you must be alert, take fluids without vomiting and urinate.
The nurse will give you written discharge instructions based on the surgeon's orders after the splenectomy.
Removing the spleen does not reduce your life expectancy although removal of the spleen can put you at a risk of complications that can be life threatening.
Removal of the spleen affects your immunity as once your spleen is removed you have low concentrations of IgM and decreased production of antibodies against Escherichia coli, several defects in cellular immune function including decreased numbers of T cells, reduction in lymphocyte proliferative responses and decreased production of antibodies directed against pneumococci.
The surface area of the red blood cells become larger than before after a splenectomy although the cellular volume is normal which means that the cells are thinner and they appear on stained smears as thin target cells.
The most common immediate complication after splenectomy is overwhelming post splenectomy infections also known as OPSI which are infections that can cause death in 50 percent of cases.
The lifetime risk of sepsis after having a splenectomy is 5 percent.
Postsplenectomy sepsis is sepsis that occurs any time after the removal of your spleen.
The spleen cannot grow back after a splenectomy as the spleen does not have the ability to regenerate or grow back once it's been removed.
However up to 30 percent of people have a second spleen that is called an accessory spleen which is usually very small but might grow and function when the main spleen has been removed.
A splenectomy is major surgery as it involves the removal of your spleen which is an important part of the body although a splenectomy is also pretty safe but you also have a higher risk of infections without the spleen.
There are some long term effects after a splenectomy which include a life long increased risk of life threatening meningitis or septicemia with a high mortality rate of 50 percent.
People that have had a splenectomy also have an increased risk of being hospitalized for pneumonia as well as the septicemia and meningitis, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
The syndrome after splenectomy is post splenectomy sepsis syndrome that is defined as a generalized non specific flu like prodrome that is followed by rapid deterioration to full blown fulminant septic shock within 24 hours to 48 hours of onset.
The complications of a splenectomy includes risk of blood clots and infections which can include fatal infections.
Minor infections after a splenectomy can also progress fast and become serious without a spleen.
In severe cases of sepsis which is called overwhelming post splenectomy infection it can become fatal without treatment.
The condition that a splenectomy is not recommended is hereditary stomatocytosis which is when a persons hemolytic anemia results from abnormalities in red cell cation permeability which puts someone at a high risk of thrombotic complications after the splenectomy.
The most common cause of sepsis after a splenectomy is encapsulated organisms as they are much more resilient to phagocytosis.
Removing the spleen does not reduce your life expectancy although removing the spine means you have to take extra precautions moving forward to prevent infections.
Many people live normal lifespans without a spleen.
You can live a normal life without a spleen as your liver can take over many of your spleens functions although without a spleen you're at an increased risk of becoming sick or getting serious infections.
Your risk for serious infections and becoming sick is highest shortly after the spleen removal surgery.
People without a spleen can have pets as many people without a spleen have pets but some pets may cause more health problems than others for people without a spleen.
The 4 functions of the spleen are red blood cell and platelet storage, iron metabolism, filtration and prevention of infection.
Your spleen is connected to your blood vessels of your stomach and pancreas although it does not play a role in digestion.
Your spleen contains two main regions of tissue that is called white pulp and red pulp.
When your spleen is removed your liver takes over many of your spleen's function which means you will still be able to cope with many infections although there's still a small risk of a serious infection developing quickly.
The risk of infection without a spleen will be present for the rest of your life.
Someone without a spleen is immunocompromised and when you don't have a spleen you're at a higher risk of bacterial and other infections than people with a spleen.
The negative effects of not having a spleen are your at a higher risk of infection from certain types of bacteria.
This is because the spleen is very important for the body's defense against germs and bacterial so if your spleen is removed your body's defense mechanism does not work as it should.
You can live without a spleen, although without a spleen you can be at a greater risk for developing certain types of blood infections.
The degree of risk for blood infections without a spleen depends on your age and if you have other diseases.
However your risk of infection without a spleen is highest in the first two years after splenectomy, it stays high for the rest of your life.
Your spleen is a fist-sized organ found in the upper left side of your abdomen, next to your stomach and behind your left ribs.
The spleen is an important part of your immune system but you can survive without it because the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions.
The spleen and the gallbladder are peritoneal as the spleen and the gallbladder are contained in the peritoneal cavity.