Immune function and the role of vaccination after splenic artery embolisation for blunt splenic injury.

The spleen is the most commonly injured solid organ as a result of blunt abdominal trauma. Over recent decades, splenic artery embolisation (SAE) has become the mainstay treatment for haemodynamically stable patients with high-grade blunt splenic trauma, with splenectomy the mainstay of treatment for unstable patients. Splenic function is complex but the spleen has an important role in immune function, particularly in protection against encapsulated bacteria. Established evidence suggests that following splenectomy immune function is impaired resulting in increased susceptibility to overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, however immune function may be preserved following SAE.
Source: Injury - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Source Type: research