Does splenectomy in cystic fibrosis related liver disease improve lung function and nutritional status?
Aims: To review the effect of total splenectomy on lung function and nutrition in children with cystic fibrosis related liver disease (CFLD) and associated portal hypertension. The stated indications for surgery and the short and long term risks of the procedure were also documented. Method: Over a 25 year period from January 1980 to June 2005, approximately 650 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were treated at the Royal Children s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Nine patients with CFLD who underwent a splenectomy during that time were identified and their medical records were reviewed. Results: FEV1% predicted dropped by 16±11% in the two years pre-splenectomy. This contrasts with the increase in FEV1% predicted of 2±16% in the two years post-splenectomy (p = 0.05). The cumulative gain in WAZ score (WAZ pre) over the two years prior to splenectomy of 0.045±0.69 was not significantly different from the cumulative gain in WAZ score (WAZ post) for the two years after splenectomy of 0.15