next »

[Andy Battaglia]

Usually in cases where the spleen is enlarged to this size, it cannot be removed with a laparoscopic splenectomy. We have had several members of our group relate this fact.

There is an excellent article about the spleen and and the different problems that can occur in the spleen and why at http://www.eapsa.org/parents/spleen.cfm

For children in whom severe rupture of the spleen is suspected or in whom the spleen is massively enlarged, open spleen removal through a long incision underneath the left rib cage or in the midline of the belly may be needed.

Courtenay, have the doctors given any explanation as to why your spleen continues to enlarge?

[Courtenay1826]

Andy-

Dr. Roman suspects that it is killing the faulty RBC's.  It might be an over-reaction to whatever virus I had while in hospital with the thal and Hb crisis, and it just doesn't know how to wind down.  Whatever it is, she says Dr. Sivakumar can tell what it is doing and why by pathology after its removed....Thus not taking the bone marrow, and doing two procedures to find out one cause.  Although, I have to say I was surprised she didn't want to look at the effect of the other Hb disorder on the marrow.