Splenic autotransplantation: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Splenectomy is a surgical procedure indicated in a variety of medical conditions including trauma. Post-operatively, there is a lifelong risk of developing overwhelming sepsis from encapsulated bacteria, most commonly due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Splenic autotransplantation has been proposed as a method to recover splenic function in patients requiring splenectomy with otherwise normal spleens. This study aims to systematically review the literature to determine the efficacy of spleen autotransplantation. Methods: MEDLINE, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for all studies assessing splenic autotransplantation (January 1947 to July 2018). Data were extracted on stu..