Abstract
For the last 19 years between 1970 and 1988, 10 therapeutic splenectomies for hematologic diseases were performed in our institution.
The diseases indicated for splenecotmy were hereditary spherocytosis (HS) in 4 patients, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in 4, coombs test negative hemolytic anemia in one, and chronic myeloid leukemia in one.
All of the 4 patients with HS and 3 of the 4 with ITP had an exellent response, one with ITP had a partial response, and two with other diseases had no responses.
From domestic and overseas papers reported between 1984 and 1988, the effects of splenectomy for autoimmune diseases including ITP, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and systemic lupus erythematosus were assessed. Fifty-eight percent of patients with ITP and 60% of those with other autoimmune diseases excellently responded to splenectomy where the blood counts were maintained in the normal range. These results may indicate further therapeutic availability of splenectomy for various autoimmune diseases.
