Splenectomy perspective for non-malignant hematological disorders: A cross-sectional study in the Eastern Province of KSA

OBJECTIVES: Splenectomy is considered a therapeutic modality for several hematological diseases, although complications are possible. This study assessed the effects of splenectomy on various hematological disorders and the roles of prophylactic measures on postoperative outcomes. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study performed in KSA on adult patients with underlying non-malignant hematological disorders who had undergone splenectomy. RESULTS: This study examined 179 patients with various hematological disorders, 38 (21.1%) of whom had undergone a splenectomy. Of those 38 patients, more than two-thirds (73.7%) had an open splenectomy. The average hospital stay was 2–7 days, and no significant difference was observed between the open and laparoscopic approaches. Approximately 95% of the patients showed overall improvements in their condition after splenectomy. However, 26.3% of patients reported a recurrence or need for further treatment 1 year or more after splenectomy. Approximately 16% of patients had an increased incidence of postoperative infectious complications, particularly patients with sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. More than half the patients who developed complications had not received vaccination preoperatively, whereas 44.4% of vaccinated patients experienced complications (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Splenectomy is considered a universal line of treatment for most non-malignant hematological diseases. Although splenectomy is an effective treatment, the reasons why patients with the same disease can have different responses remains unclear. Infection is a common postoperative complication, and vaccinations are underused. This study emphasizes the roles of patient education, scheduled vaccinations and proper selection of patients in the use of splenectomy for the treatment of non-malignant hematological diseases.