Influence of Residual Splenic Tissue on the Presence of Vacuolated Erythrocytes in Splenectomized Patients

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Abstract
In normals without impairment of the splenic function, < 1% of the circulating erythrocytes are vacuolated. Autotransplantation of splenic tissue (splenosis) or growth of accessory spleens may occur after splenectomy. Patients (39) splenectomized after traumatic rupture of the spleen were investigated by spleen Tc-scanning, employing heat-damaged autologous erythrocytes, and the splenic filter function was studied by counting the percentage of vacuolated erythrocytes with interference-phase-contrast microscopy. Residual splenic tissue was detected in 18 patients and in these the median percentage of vacuolated erythrocytes was significantly lower than in patients without ectopic splenic tissue (21.0% vs. 44.8%, P < 0.01). There was a marked overlap between the 2 groups. The reason for this might be that very small splenic implants are not detected by Tc-scanning.

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