Late Infections Following Splenectomy in Hodgkin's Disease

Abstract

Here 145 reported post-splenectomy infections in 115 patients with Hodgkin's disease are reviewed. Such infections can occur at any age (median age 19.8 years) and the interval from splenectomy to the infection is quite variable (median 21.9 months). Most infections are present clinically as pneumonia, septicemia, meningitis, or a combination thereof, with the most common offending organism being pneumococcus. The infection can be fulminant and even fatal. It is recommended that the spleen should only be removed when essential. A staging laparotomy and splenectomy seem justifiable only in cases of Hodgkin's disease where a change of staging would lead to a change of planned therapy. Prophylactic penicillin should be administered at least for 3 years and possibly indefinitely since post-splenectomy infections can occur many years later. Pneumococcal vaccine should also be given before any chemotherapy or radiotherapy is initiated. Prompt and aggressive treatment should be given when post-splenectomy infection is diagnosed.