Splenic artery embolization
Updates to Article Attributes
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was changed:
Splenic (artery) embolisation is an endovascular technique for treatment of splenic and splenic artery pathology as an alternative to splenic artery ligation or splenectomy. It often results in successfully treating the underlying pathology, while maintaining at least partial splenic function.
Indications
- traumatic splenic injury, particularly AAST grade
III-VIII-V injuries in haemodynamically stable patients - hypersplenism
- splenic malignancy
- splenic steal syndrome
- splenic artery aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm
Technique
There are a multitude of techniques including:
- partial or complete embolisation
- proximal or distal embolisation
- coil, particle or glue embolisation
Complications
- left pleural effusion and atelectasis (20-50%) 3,4
- splenic infarct (~3%) 2
- splenic abscess (~2%) 2,3
Long term immune function
In contrast to patients who undergo splenectomy, patients who undergo splenic artery embolization are demonstrated to have preserved immune function at long term follow up. This evidence is supported by research studies that reportreports the lack of circulating Howell jolly-Jolly bodies on follow up (nuclear remnants in RBCs that occur in asplenic patients).
-<li>traumatic <a href="/articles/splenic-trauma">splenic injury</a>, particularly <a href="/articles/aast-spleen-injury-scale">AAST grade</a> III-V in haemodynamically stable patients</li>- +<li>traumatic <a href="/articles/splenic-trauma">splenic injury</a>, particularly <a href="/articles/aast-spleen-injury-scale">AAST grade</a> III-V injuries in haemodynamically stable patients</li>
-</ul><h5>Long term immune function</h5><p>In contrast to patients who undergo splenectomy, patients who undergo splenic artery embolization are demonstrated to have preserved immune function at long term follow up. This evidence is supported by research studies that report the lack of circulating Howell jolly bodies on follow up.</p>- +</ul><h5>Long term immune function</h5><p>In contrast to patients who undergo splenectomy, patients who undergo splenic artery embolization are demonstrated to have preserved immune function at long term follow up. This evidence is supported by research that reports the lack of circulating Howell-Jolly bodies on follow up (nuclear remnants in RBCs that occur in asplenic patients).</p>