Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Autosplenectomy
Introduction
An autosplenectomy (from ‘auto-‘ self, ‘-splen-‘ spleen, ‘-ectomy‘ removal) occurs when a disease damages the spleen to such an extent that it is non-functioning and so equivalent to the spleen having been surgically removed (splenectomy) .
Causes
Causes
This may occur in sickle-cell disease and spherocytosis when abnormal red blood cells repeatedly block off small blood vessels, causing infarction of parts of the spleen.
Consequences
Consequences
Absence of effective splenic function (asplenia) is associated with increased risks of overwhelming post splenectomy infection. Protocols involving vaccination and prophylactic antibiotics can reduce these risks.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]