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Underreporting of Postsplenectomy Sepsis

Underreporting of Postsplenectomy Sepsis Abstract To the Editor.–Dr Dickerman's article on the risks of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis after splenectomy for trauma (Archives 1981;116:361-363) strongly suggests that this problem is grossly underreported and often is not recognized. I wish to add to his 34 case reports another by Cairns and Say.1 The major immune defect after splenectomy is the body's inability to mount an immune response rapidly to a new particulate antigen. It is still not certain whether this is due to a lack of tuftsin (as suggested by Constantopoulos and his group from Tufts University) or whether some further mechanism remains to be elucidated. Certainly the cases of fatal overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis that have occurred despite relatively large masses of splenotic tissue suggest that the splenic autograft possesses an immune function that is less effective than its phagocytic abilities. Dr Baue, in his editorial comment, raised the problem of underreporting. The vast majority References 1. Cairns FJ, Say PJ: Fulminant pneumococcal septicaemia in an adult following splenectomy . NZ Med J 1979;89:85-86. 2. Robinette CD, Fraumeni JF: Splenectomy and subsequent mortality in veterans of the 1939-45 war . Lancet 1977;2:127-129.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Surgery American Medical Association

Underreporting of Postsplenectomy Sepsis

PRINGLE, KEVIN C.
Archives of Surgery , Volume 116 (8) – Aug 1, 1981
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Underreporting of Postsplenectomy Sepsis

Abstract

Abstract To the Editor.–Dr Dickerman's article on the risks of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis after splenectomy for trauma (Archives 1981;116:361-363) strongly suggests that this problem is grossly underreported and often is not recognized. I wish to add to his 34 case reports another by Cairns and Say.1 The major immune defect after splenectomy is the body's inability to mount an immune response rapidly to a new particulate antigen. It is still not certain whether this...
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References (2)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1981 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0004-0010
eISSN
1538-3644
DOI
10.1001/archsurg.1981.01380200097028
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract To the Editor.–Dr Dickerman's article on the risks of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis after splenectomy for trauma (Archives 1981;116:361-363) strongly suggests that this problem is grossly underreported and often is not recognized. I wish to add to his 34 case reports another by Cairns and Say.1 The major immune defect after splenectomy is the body's inability to mount an immune response rapidly to a new particulate antigen. It is still not certain whether this is due to a lack of tuftsin (as suggested by Constantopoulos and his group from Tufts University) or whether some further mechanism remains to be elucidated. Certainly the cases of fatal overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis that have occurred despite relatively large masses of splenotic tissue suggest that the splenic autograft possesses an immune function that is less effective than its phagocytic abilities. Dr Baue, in his editorial comment, raised the problem of underreporting. The vast majority References 1. Cairns FJ, Say PJ: Fulminant pneumococcal septicaemia in an adult following splenectomy . NZ Med J 1979;89:85-86. 2. Robinette CD, Fraumeni JF: Splenectomy and subsequent mortality in veterans of the 1939-45 war . Lancet 1977;2:127-129.Crossref

Journal

Archives of Surgery – American Medical Association

Published: Aug 1, 1981

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