Open spleen removal in adults - discharge

You had surgery to remove your spleen. This operation is called splenectomy. Now that you're going home, follow your surgeon's instructions on how to care for yourself while you heal.

The type of surgery you had is called open surgery. The surgeon made a cut (incision) in the middle of your belly or on the left side of your belly just below the ribs. If you are being treated for cancer, the surgeon probably also removed the lymph nodes in your belly.

Recovering from surgery takes 4 to 8 weeks. You may have some of these symptoms as you recover:

If your spleen was removed for a blood disorder or lymphoma, you may need more treatments. This depends on your medical disorder.

Make sure your home is safe as you are recovering. For example, remove throw rugs to prevent tripping and falling. Be sure that you can use your shower or bath safely. Have someone stay with you for a few days until you are sure you can take care of yourself.

You should be able to do most of your regular activities in 4 to 8 weeks. Before that:

Your surgeon will prescribe pain medicines for you to use at home. If you are taking pain pills 3 or 4 times a day, try taking them at the same times each day for 3 to 4 days. They may be more effective this way. Ask your surgeon about taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen for pain instead of narcotic pain medicine.

Try getting up and moving around if you are having pain in your belly. This may ease your pain.

Press a pillow over your incision when you cough or sneeze to ease discomfort and protect your incision.

Care for your incision as instructed. If the incision was covered with skin glue, you may shower with soap the day after surgery. Pat the area dry. If you have a dressing, change it daily and shower when your surgeon says it is OK.

If strips of tape were used to close your incision:

Do not soak in a bathtub or hot tub or go swimming until your surgeon tells you it is OK.

Most people live a normal active life without a spleen. But there is always a risk of getting an infection. This is because the spleen is part of the body's immune system, helping fight infections.

After your spleen is removed, you will be more likely to get infections:

Keeping up to date on your immunizations will be very important. Ask your doctor if you should have these vaccines:

Things you can do to help prevent infections:

Contact your provider if you have any of the following:

Arber DA. Spleen. In: Goldblum JR, Lamps LW, McKenney JK, Myers JL, eds. Rosai and Ackerman's Surgical Pathology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 38.

Nazzar AK, Hawn M. The spleen. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 57.



Review Date: 3/11/2023
Reviewed By: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery Practice Specializing in Breast Cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.