[Splenectomy incidence in a specialized care hospital]. / Incidencia de esplenectomías en un hospital de tercer nivel de atención.

BACKGROUND: splenectomy has been elected surgical procedure for multiple hematologic diseases, specially for Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of splenectomies in two different periods of time and to show decrease tendency during the most recent years. METHODS: it was a retrospectively reviewed study from medical records of patients who underwent splenectomy at the Hospital de Especialidades Siglo XXI, between 1986 to 1990 and 1995 to 1999. RESULTS: during the first period of time, the incidence of splenectomies for hospital admissions was 0.52%, and in the second 0.19%. CONCLUSIONS: the incidence of splenectomies performed at the Hospital de Especialidades Siglo XXI decreased in the second period of time, probably because there are new available treatments for hematologic diseases.