Interventional Radiology of the Spleen

Abstract

Interventional radiological techniques have been used increasingly in the management of splenic disorders during recent decades. This attitude went along with a more conservative approach that surgeons and traumatologists adopted in dealing with splenic trauma and hypersplenism. When it became obvious that a correlation existed between splenectomy and increased risk for life-threatening sepsis (Pneumo coccus, Hemophilus influenza, Meningococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and Pseudomonas), especially in children and adolescents, a progressive shift was noted from an aggressive and resectional type of management to a more conservative, possibly spleen-saving therapy (Greco and Alvarez 1981). Moreover, greater understanding has been reached concerning not only the immunological role of the spleen and its diseases, but also the definition and classification of hyper- splenic syndromes, thereby reducing the number of splenectomies performed for such syndromes (King and Schumacker 1952; O’Neal and McDonald 1981; Green et al. 1986; Pickhardt et al. 1989; Van Hee 1997).