Splenectomy techniques with a pragmatic approach to the haemoabdomen

Performing a splenectomy (with or without the presence of a haemoabdomen) is a common requirement for a general practitioner. Indications for this include neoplasia, torsion, trauma and infarction. Various techniques are reported, including an extra-omental and intra-omental technique for a total splenectomy. Partial splenectomy techniques are also reported. However, these are less commonly performed in cats or dogs than in humans. There is a significant species difference in the risk of post-splenectomy sepsis, which suggests that that the spleen's contribution to the immune system is less vital in cats and dogs. The haemoabdomen as a presentation, while often suggestive of splenic neoplasia, is also seen in trauma cases, with neoplasia in other abdominal organs and with generalised coagulopathies. The non-traumatic canine haemoabdomen is most likely to be splenic neoplasia than in the cat, where there are a wider range of common differentials that make up the majority of cases, with splenic haemangiosarcoma representing around 28%.