Effects of inferior splenic lobe pole fixation and gastrosplenic peritoneal membrane section on the vitality of the remanent of subtotal splenectomy in rats

Abstract

PURPOSE:To investigate the vitality of the spleen lower pole after subtotal splenectomy with suture to the stomach and after posterior peritoneal gastro-splenic membrane section, using macro and microscopic evaluations. METHODS:Sixty Wistar rats were used in this study and were randomly distributed in the three groups: Group 1: (n=20), subtotal splenectomy with lower pole preservation, Group 2: (n=20) subtotal splenectomy with lower pole preservation and suture to the stomach, Group 3: subtotal splenectomy with lower pole preservation and posterior peritoneal gastrosplenic ligament section. The animals were sacrificed 45 days after the surgery and the spleen lower poles were removed for macroscopic and microscopic examination. RESULTS:All animals in this series survived. No macroscopic differences were encountered between the groups. Microscopic evaluation observed statistic difference concerning fibrosis between group 1 and 3 (p≤0.05), but the analysis for necrosis and inflammation presented no differences. CONCLUSION:Vitality of the spleen lower pole after subtotal splenectomy is minimally modified when it is fixed to the stomach or when the posterior peritoneal gastrosplenic ligament is resected.

Study of the upper pole after subtotal splenectomy in rats

“…The results corroborate Paulo et al . 27 , whose findings in the microscopy confirmed the viability of both poles, with the presence of white pulp (lymphoid follicles, and their components), red pulp, vascularity, and cellularity specific to the organ, in addition to possible inflammatory processes.…”

“…Mendonça et al . 27 reported that section of the gastrosplenic peritoneal membrane in rats submitted to SSPLP did not change the viability of the LP. A further study with a group of rats using section and other one with no section of the gastroplenic membrane would better clarify the effect of preserving the membrane in the viability of the UP.…”

Macro and microscopic comparison of the upper pole of the spleen with the lower pole in partial splenectomy

“…This may have been due to the lack of initial deficient irrigation to the pole, or it may have been due to the inadvertent section of a thin transparent membrane that joins the stomach to the spleen, which enables the rotation of this segment and consequently the vascular torsion with segmental devascularization. However, in one study, the section of the gastroesplenic peritoneal membrane did not change the viability of the lower pole 15 . However, this result was reported in only one study, requiring posterior confirmation on the influence of the membrane section on the viability of the splenic remnant.…”