The Role of Splenectomy in Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis

“…]aekson (1957) reported the removal of a spleen weighing 2400 g and densely infiltrated with sareoid granulomas from a woman, aged 39, in whom it was eausing no special symptoms, although she had a hypoehromie anaemia which improved afterwards; an abdominal lymph-node removed at the same time showed similar histologieal ehanges, and radiographie ehanges were present in the lungs. Case 2 of Bertino and Myerson (1960) was that of a blaek man, aged 29, with abdominal enlargement due to gross hepatosplenomegaly, the Iiver being 12 em below the costal margin. The spleen, weighing 1820 g, was removed.…”

Giant splenomegaly in sarcoidosis

“…In (z), especially in those with hypersplenism, the symptoms will depend on whether the red or white cells or platelets are mainly affected. Thrombocytopenia causes the gravest changes, and haemorrhage of such severity as to cause death has been recorded in several instances (Bertino and Myerson, 1960). These authors also state that the majority of cases of thrombocytopenia or pancytopenia appear to be associated with markedly enlarged granulomatous spleens.…”

“…Jackson (1957) detailed a satisfactory general state in I case with normal blood-count and no abnormality of other organs apart from the persistence of a slight enlargement of the liver. Bertino and Myerson (1960) describe z cases illustrating the beneficial long-term result of splenectomy-one of a spleen weighing 1820 g. In all these cases splenectomy seems to have been well tolerated.…”

“…I t would help to prevent the development of hypersplenism which, as mentioned above, seems to be associated with markedly enlarged organs. If hypersplenism develops, removal of the spleen usually proves beneficial and even life-saving (Bertino and Myerson, 1960). Following the studies of splenic function, Hayhoe and Whitby (1955) show that splenectomy is often successful in various cytopenic conditions associated with splenomegaly, either from reduction of cytolysis, removal of a site of antibody formation, or from reduction in the marrow-regulating hormone of the spleen.…”