Role of splenic autotransplantation in management of thalassemia major in children

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of pediatric patients with beta thalassemia undergoing splenectomy with splenic autotransplantation. It was conducted on 20 children suffering from beta thalassemia major over a period of two years. The rate of blood transfusion decreased considerably in both groups. One patient developed severe pneumonia in the NST group. The postoperative laparoscopic biopsy confirmed the reticular pattern of the implants with perivascular lymphocytic aggregations. All the transplanted splenic tissues showed a good uptake on scintigraphy with a gradual increase in C3, IgM and IgG levels at one and three months postoperatively with 1.5-2 fold increase of IgM and IgG levels after vaccination. Splenectomized only patients showed no significant increase in these levels