Role of splenectomy in postoperative infection

ABSTRACT

50 patients, 25 children and 25 adults underwent splenectomy and did not receive postoperative antiboitics were the material of this study. In children group, splenectomy done for Bilharzial spleen to 23 cases and the rest 2 cases for thalassemia major. All adult patient underwent splenectomy for Bilharzial spleen. Blood samples for culture were taken preoperatively and postoperatively from peripheral blood and operatively from splenic artery and splenic vein. The postoperative peripheral blood samples were taken at the zenith of fever. In children group The preoperative peripheral, the operative splenic artery and vein blood cultures were sterile in all cases. The postoperative peripheral blood cultures were sterile in the 23 Bilharzial cases, and positive for staphylococcus aureus in 2 cases of thalassemia major, these last 2 cases were under 1 years of age. In Adults group All blood cultures, peripheral, preoperative and postoperative, operative splenic artery and vein blood were found sterile in all cases