Salvage of the ruptured spleen in an infant with very low birth weight.

Hemorrhage from the traumatized spleen needs surgical intervention if the patient's cardiovascular status is unstable and not stabilizing with medical support. It is well recognized that salvage of the injured spleen is preferable to splenectomy because of risks of overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI). The authors report the case of a 746-g newborn with splenic hemorrhage that required surgical intervention to control bleeding. A 2-component fibrin tissue adhesive and a cellulose fabric were used.