What happens if spleen is removed from body

Open surgery is preferred if you have scar tissue from other surgeries or if your spleen has ruptured. This type of surgery is minimally invasive and has a quicker and less painful recovery time than open surgery.

In a laparoscopic splenectomy, your surgeon makes just a few small cuts in your abdomen. Then, they use a small camera to project a video of your spleen onto a monitor. Your surgeon can then remove your spleen with small tools. Your surgeon may decide an open surgery is necessary after viewing your spleen on the camera. Learn more: Laparoscopy ».

Removing your spleen is a major surgery and leaves you with a compromised immune system. The benefits of a splenectomy are that it can resolve several health issues such as blood diseases, cancer, and infection that could not be treated any other way. Having a ruptured spleen removed can save your life. Your surgeon and doctor will help you prepare for your procedure. Your doctor will probably give you vaccines against certain viruses and bacteria because spleen removal weakens your immune system.

You may also need to get a blood transfusion to ensure that you have enough platelets and red blood cells to endure the surgery and its accompanying blood loss. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain medicines days before the surgery. The outlook for a splenectomy varies greatly depending on the type and severity of the disease or injury that led to the surgery.

Full recovery from a splenectomy usually takes between four and six weeks. You may only need to stay in the hospital for a few days following the surgery. Your surgeon or doctor will tell you when you can return to your normal activities. The rise of antibiotic resistance makes prophylactic antibiotics controversial. However, certain people should be strongly considered for these preventive measures.

This includes children who are younger than 5 years old. In any case, emergency medical help is needed quickly. Signs that the spleen may have been damaged can include pain and tenderness in the upper left abdomen, lightheadedness, and pain in the left shoulder.

In addition to a spleen that has been damaged or has ruptured, the spleen may also become dangerously enlarged. This may follow an injury.

However, it may also occur due to an infection or other health condition such as cirrhosis or rheumatoid arthritis. The condition does not always cause symptoms, but when it does, they may include quickly feeling full when eating and pain or discomfort behind the left ribs. The spleen may need to be removed if it is damaged or enlarged. What does the spleen do? The spleen has some important functions: it fights invading germs in the blood the spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells it controls the level of blood cells white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets it filters the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells Spleen problems The spleen is not working properly If the spleen does not work properly, it may start to remove healthy blood cells.

This can lead to: anaemia , from a reduced number of red blood cells an increased risk of infection, from a reduced number of white blood cells bleeding or bruising, caused by a reduced number of platelets A painful spleen Spleen pain is usually felt as a pain behind your left ribs. This can be a sign of a damaged, ruptured or enlarged spleen. A damaged or ruptured spleen The spleen can become damaged or may burst rupture after an injury, such as a blow to the abdomen, a car accident, a sporting accident or broken ribs.

Rupture can happen straight away or it may happen weeks after the injury. Signs of a ruptured spleen are: pain behind your left ribs and tenderness when you touch this area dizziness and a rapid heart rate a sign of low blood pressure caused by blood loss Sometimes if you lie down and raise your legs, you can feel the pain at the tip of your left shoulder.

A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency, as it can cause life-threatening bleeding. An enlarged spleen The spleen can become swollen after an infection or injury. An enlarged spleen does not always cause symptoms.

Otherwise, look out for: feeling full very quickly after eating an enlarged spleen can press on the stomach feeling discomfort or pain behind your left ribs anaemia and fatigue frequent infections easy bleeding Doctors can often tell if you have an enlarged spleen by feeling your abdomen.

Surgery to remove the spleen You may need an operation to remove your spleen, known as a splenectomy, if it's not working properly or it's damaged, diseased or enlarged. Sometimes just part of your spleen can be removed, which is called a partial splenectomy.

Laparoscopy Most operations to remove spleens are carried out using keyhole surgery laparoscopy. The procedure involves: making several small cuts in your tummy guiding a laparoscope into your body through one of the cuts so doctors can see what they're doing passing thin instruments into your tummy through the other cuts to remove your spleen gas will be pumped into your tummy to make this easier The cuts are then stitched up or sometimes glued together.

You may be able to go home the same day, or you may need to stay in hospital overnight. If you go home the same day, someone will need to stay with you for the first 24 hours. Open surgery Open surgery is where one large cut is made. Recovering from spleen surgery It's normal to feel sore and be bruised after a splenectomy, but you'll be given pain relief. You should be able to eat and drink as normal soon after the operation. Your doctor will talk through these risks with you.

Your doctor or nurse will advise when you can go back to your usual activities, such as driving. If your spleen needs to be removed, other organs such as the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions. This means you will still be able to cope with most infections. However, there is a small risk that a serious infection may develop quickly. This risk will be present for the rest of your life. Young children have a higher risk of serious infection than adults, but the risk is still small.

The risk is also increased if you have a medical condition such as sickle cell anaemia , coeliac disease or a condition that affects your immune system, such as HIV. Make sure you have had all your routine childhood vaccinations. You should also be vaccinated against:.

It's recommended that you take low-dose antibiotics for the rest of your life to prevent bacterial infections. Antibiotics are particularly important:. Your GP can prescribe a course of antibiotics for you to use if you get an infection. You should start taking them at the first sign of an infection, so see your GP as soon as possible. Bites from animals and ticks small blood-sucking parasites can cause infections. If you get bitten by an animal, particularly a dog, start your course of antibiotics and seek medical advice urgently.

If you go trekking or camping regularly, you may be at risk of babesiosis, which is a rare disease transmitted by ticks. Try to avoid tick bites by wearing clothes that cover your skin, particularly long trousers. If you become ill, get medical advice straight away.

Healthcare professionals will mark your health records to show that you don't have a working spleen. However, always remember to tell any medical professionals that you see, including your dentist. People without a working spleen have an increased risk of developing a severe form of malaria. If possible, avoid countries where malaria is present. If you can't, speak to your GP or local pharmacist about anti-malaria medicine before you travel.

You should also use mosquito nets and insect repellent. Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Spleen problems and spleen removal. Spleen problems and spleen removal.