Howard A Pearson, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Published online: March 2003
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0002183
The spleen has a number of functions that are important in the immunological function of the body, and absence of the spleen poses a risk for serious and often fatal infections. This risk can be reduced by deferring splenectomy when possible and by the use of pneumococcal immunizations and prophylactic antibiotics.
Keywords: splenectomy; immunity overwhelming post splenectomy; OPSI
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| Further Reading | |
| Feder and Pearson HA (1999) Assessment of splenic function in familial asplenia. New England Journal of Medicine 341: 210–211. | |
| book Pearson HA (1998) "The spleen and disturbances of splenic function". In: Nathan DG and Orkin SH (eds) Hematology of Infancy and Childhood, 5th edn, chap 26, pp. 1051–1068. Philadelphia: WB Saunders. | |
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