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Splenectomy is indicated for several hematologic conditions (e.g., thrombocytopenias, hemolytic anemias, hematopoietic cancer), but the intervention puts patients at risk for future infections. To quantify the risk for infection after splenectomy, researchers analyzed data from the Danish National Registry on 3812 people who underwent this procedure from 1996 through 2005. Patients who underwent splenectomy were matched with people in the general Danish population, people who underwent appendectomy, and people who had indications for splenectomy but did not undergo the operation.
Incidence rates (per 100 person-years) of infection were 7.7 in splenectomy patients, 2.0 in the general population, 3.0 in appendectomy patients, and 6.4 in the ma…