Abstract

Purpose: Nowadays, laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is a well-accepted, less-invasive procedure for hematological disorders. Except for patients with very large spleens, LS can be performed in almost all patients. Our aim was to analyse operative and postoperative results of laparoscopic splenectomy performed for hematological disorders versus conventional splenectomy (CS). Materials and Methods: Between 1993 and 2006, 100 consecutive patients who underwent elective splenectomy at the General Surgery Department of Erciyes University Medical Faculty were enrolled in the study. Results: Fifty-eight patients were operated conventionally while 42 patients were operated laparoscopically. Patient demographics were similar between the two groups. LS was succesfully performed in 39 patients (93%). Altough the operation time was significantly longer in CS group, the postoperative mean visual analogue score and the lenght of hospital stay were significantly lower in LS group. Postoperative complications were comparable in both groups and atelectasis was the most frequent complication. Conclusion: With low complication and conversion rates, LS has nearly become the gold standard for the surgical treatment of hematologic diseases.