Title: Persistent Post‐Splenectomy Thrombocytosis and Thrombo‐embolism: A Consequence of Continuing Anaemia
Abstract: splenectomy is usually followed by a mild, symptomless thrombocytosis which reaches a peak at about the end of the second week and gradually subsides within 3 months (Evans, 1928; Doan, Curtis and Wiseman, 1935; Wollstein and Kreidel, 1936; Ek and Rayner, 1950; Welch and Dameshek, 1950; Sedgwick and Hume, 1960). Occasionally, however, post‐splenectomy thrombocytosis persists (Rosenthal, 1925; Chesner, 1946; Mills and Lucia, 1949; Green, Conley, Ashburn and Peters, 1953; Merskey and Budtz‐Olsen, 1953; Gelpi and Ende, 1958; Byrd and Cooper, 1961; Barry and Day, 1962; Hayes, Spurr, Hutaff and Sheets, 1963; Dacie, Grimes, Meisler, Steingold, Hemsted, Beaven and White, 1964; Grimes, Meisler and Dacie, 1964; Losowsky and Hall, 1965) and may be associated with thrombo‐embolic complications (Rosenthal, 1925; Chesner, 1946; Mills and Lucia, 1949; Gelpi and Ende, 1958; Byrd and Cooper, 1961; Barry and Day, 1962; Hayes et al. , 1963). However, although per‐sistent post‐splenectomy thrombocytosis has thus been recognized for many years, the underlying cause is poorly understood and has seldom been discussed. A consideration of the mechanism of post‐splenectomy thrombocytosis and its possible bearing on post‐splenectomy thrombo‐embolism forms the basis of this report. The present findings, based on a study of patients with a variety of anaemias and haematologically normal controls, suggest that persistence of thrombosytosis after splenectomy can usually be predicted: this happens when anaemia continues after splenectomy in association with active haemopoiesis.
Publication Year: 1966
Publication Date: 1966-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 160
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