After Laparoscopic Splenectomy

You have had surgery to remove your spleen (splenectomy). The spleen was in the upper left portion of your abdomen. Your spleen stored red blood cells, filtered your blood, and helped your body fight infection. To remove it, your doctor made 3 or 4 small incisions in your abdomen. Surgical tools were then inserted through these incisions. This sheet will help you take care of yourself at home.

Activity

• Ask for help with chores and errands while you recover.

• Don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds.

• Don’t do strenuous activity. Build up your activity as you heal.

Incision care

• Check your incisions daily for signs of infection. These include redness, swelling, and fluid leaking from the incision. Infection may also cause the edges of an incision to open up.

• Shower or take baths carefully, and keep the incision dry.

• Wash your incision gently. Use mild soap and warm water. Pat dry.

Other home care

• Take pain medicine as directed.

• Check your temperature each day for 7 days after the surgery. Call your healthcare provider if your temperature is higher than 100.4°F (38°C). 

• Eat normal meals as soon as you feel able. Stick to a healthy diet.

Preventing and treating infections

You have a higher risk of infection now because you don’t have a spleen. There are ways to manage this risk. These include:

• Take antibiotic medicine as directed by your healthcare provider. This helps stop infection. Take all of this medicine until it is gone.

• Talk to your healthcare provider about what vaccinations you should have. Most people who have elective splenectomy get vaccinations against encapsulated bacteria before surgery. These vaccinations need to be updated every 5 to 10 years. 

• See your healthcare provider even for mild illnesses. These include colds or sinus problems. Your healthcare provider may want to give you antibiotics and watch your health.

• Tell all of your healthcare providers that you have had your spleen removed. This includes your dentist, primary care doctor, and nurse practitioner.

• Wear a medical alert ID bracelet that says you don’t have a spleen.