The well-known expression of pirates, "Lopni my spleen," as we know, is not so winged. Some people actually face this unpleasant circumstance, while not even realizing what the removal of the spleen is threatening. And then the doctors have nothing else to do but to remove the injured organ, and the person to continue life without the spleen.
Spleen Removal - Causes
However, the bursting spleen is, unfortunately, not the only reason for removing the organ. Here are a few reasons for this operation:
- injury to the body (detachment from the legs, crushing, etc.);
- hemolytic anemia ;
- oncological disease of blood;
- secondary hypersplenism;
- cyst formation;
- damage to the body by parasites or infection;
- a spleen infarction;
- occurrence of an abscess in the organ.
Surgery to remove the spleen
This operation is called splenectomy. Today, it is not dangerous to the life of the patient. After a standard operation, a long and well-marked scar remains on the body of the operated person. Because lately the laparoscopic method of removing the spleen has become increasingly popular.
Consequences after removal of the spleen
The spleen is a very important organ that takes an active part in the hematopoietic process. It destroys old red blood cells and platelets, thereby regulating their quantity in the blood. This body accumulates iron for the further formation of hemoglobin, and also because of the ability to drastically reduce the discharge of blood into blood vessels with a sharp decrease in its level (for example, due to trauma).
Therefore, the removal of the spleen, despite the widespread belief that it is unnecessary for the body, is, of course, a stress for him and requires a colossal adjustment. At the same time, the immunity of the patient is greatly reduced, and hence the ability to resist viruses and infections. Many functions of the spleen, when removed, take on the liver and lymph nodes , which increases the load on these organs and requires the person to adhere to certain rules. Here's how life changes after removal of the spleen:
- Gentle diet to avoid overloading the liver.
- Support of the body with antibiotics for the prevention of infectious diseases.
- The need to avoid visiting crowded places, such as the metro, hospitals, places where there are long queues, or be extremely careful not to pick up the infection from someone.
- Conducting additional vaccinations.
- Caution in choosing countries for travel (for example, you can not go to countries where malaria or hepatitis is common).
- The need to undergo more frequent preventive examinations.