Open Splenectomy Surgery

The spleen is one of the most frequently injured intraperitoneal organs, and management of splenic injuries may require splenectomy .. The spleen is an wedge-shaped organ that lies in relation to the ninth and 11th ribs, located in the left hypochondrium and partly in the epigastrium; thus, it is situated between the fundus of the stomach and the diaphragm. The spleen is highly vascular and reddish purple; its size and weight are variable. A normal spleen is not palpable. The spleen's key function is the removal of old red blood cells "RBCs", defective circulating cells, and circulating bacteria. In addition, the spleen helps maintain normal erythrocyte morphology by processing immature erythrocytes, removing their nuclei, and changing the shape of the cellular membrane. Other functions of the spleen include the removal of nuclear remnants of RBCs, denatured hemoglobin, and iron granules ..