Goodbye Spleen

Six weeks ago, I had laparoscopic surgery to remove my spleen. This was the second major surgery I’d had in six months — an impressive record after more than 30 years of very good health.

I didn’t make the choice to have my spleen removed lightly. In fact, it felt bizarre to choose to have an organ removed. But my spleen was filled with 2 cysts, one causing me considerable pain, and my first surgery used the least invasive approach to try and save my spleen. Since that didn’t work, I was left with two possible next steps: a partial or full splenectomy.

After reviewing MRI images of my spleen, my excellent surgeon, Dr. Kimberley Kirkwood, took the option of a partial splenectomy off the table. Although the procedure offers the potential to save some of the spleen, thus preserving its ability to help fight infection, I was not a candidate for it because I had two cysts in different parts of my spleen. So, I agreed to have my spleen removed.

All of the doctors I consulted agreed I’d feel better and be healthier without my spleen. “After the appendix, the spleen is the next organ you can live without,” one told me. She also told me she’d worry about me a lot less, as a spleen filled with large cysts has an increased chance of rupture, which is a life-threatening emergency.

So, what happens if your spleen is removed? Not as much as you might expect, assuming nothing else is wrong. While the spleen does play an important role in fighting bacterial infections, the body can adapt without it. Modern medicine also helps. I received three vaccinations — including pneumonia and meningitis — two weeks before my surgery to help my body fight off the kinds of bacteria that are most dangerous to asplenic people.

Now that I’m spleen-free, I’ll need to be more proactive about consulting a medical expert if I get a fever or infection, and I’ll take preventative medications while traveling in some remote regions. Otherwise, I should be able to maintain a very healthy life.

In my next post, I plan to write a detailed report of my splenectomy, as many people seemed to find a similar report helpful after my last surgery.

Are you living without a spleen or facing treatment for splenic cysts? If so, I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.