Regeneration of the spleen after ectopic implantation and partial splenectomy

F. E. Alvarez and R. S. Greco

Overwhelming postsplenectomy infection is a well-defined clinical entity resulting from the inability of the splenectomized host to combat infections with encapsulated bacteria. Because of this lethal complication, a number of alternatives to splenectomy have been studied, including autotransplantation of the removed spleen or partial splenectomy. The ability of the splenic tissue to regenerate depends on the type of procedure selected. In this study, the regenerating capacity of the splenic tissue is studied in 99 Sprague-Dawley rats. These animals were subjected to surgical autotransplantation and partial splenectomy. Our results demonstrated the superiority of partial splenectomy over autotransplantation in terms of regeneration of the splenic mass.