[Overwhelming postsplenectomy infection syndrome.]

[Overwhelming postsplenectomy infection syndrome.]
Anaesthesist. 2014 Feb 27;
Authors: Fuchs C, Scheer C, Schulz K, Dombrowski F, Brückmann S, Kuhn SO
Abstract
The overwhelming postsplenectomy infection syndrome (OPSI) is a fulminant sepsis that is mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and is characterized by a particular high mortality. Patients whose spleen was removed due to a hematological disease are at special risk. Even after the recommended immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae 20-30 % of these patients do not develop an adequate level of antibody response. Therefore, this particular group of patients must be trained how to behave in case of fever and need to obtain immediate specific sepsis therapy with antibiotic prophylaxis.
PMID: 24569934 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Der Anaesthesist - February 27, 2014 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Fuchs C, Scheer C, Schulz K, Dombrowski F, Brückmann S, Kuhn SO Tags: Anaesthesist Source Type: research