Laparoscopic splenectomy.

Several indications for laparoscopic splenectomy are represented mainly by hematological disorders such as Idiopatic Thrombopenic Purpura (ITP) or hereditary spherocytosis. Patients with ITP who do not respond, have relapses of the disease under steroid treatment, or need a gradually increased dose of steroids, represent an excellent indication for laparoscopic splenectomy, as the spleen is not enlarged. Patients are usually small, thin, young females, making the procedure much easier. The size of the spleen in hereditary spherocytosis varies, sometimes making the procedure a little more difficult, especially as those patients have pigmented gallbladder stones necessitating a concurrent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Other indications are represented by staging of Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma of the spleen, and splenic infarcts without abscesses. Some patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia might benefit from laparoscopic splenectomy, but hypersplenism due to cirrhosis is strongly contraindicated, as the risk of intraoperative hemorrhage is great and not usually managed easily laparoscopically.