[Alternatives to splenectomy in the surgical treatment of splenic injuries]

Abstract

Children with splenic trauma are managed conservatively in most circumstances, and the need for surgical interventions is very rare. When a surgical exploration is mandatory, splenic preservation is a worthwhile objective, using various suture methods, biomaterials, or resorbable prosteses. We present our experience over the 4 years with 9 severe splenic injuries. Six of this patients were treated operatively with a reabsorvable mesh, while the other 3 were managed percutaneosly by selective embolization of the splenic artery under fluoroscopic control. We describe our experience in the treatment of the splenic injuries in the last four years.