Splenectomy in Active Chronic Hepatitis

Abstract

Six patients with active chronic hepatitis and hypersplenism have been studied with regard to splenectomy and immunosuppressive treatment. All patients had pancytopenia and four of them had been given immunosuppressive treatment before splenectomy, but this had to be stopped because of severe pancytopenia. All patients tolerated splenectomy, and no serious side-effects were observed. After operation all six patients tolerated immunosuppressive medication, and at follow-up examination for an average period of 21 months improvement was demonstrated in most cases.

Key-words:

• Active chronic hepatitis
• immunosuppressive drugs
• splenectomy