Background: The spleen has been considered for millennia a fascinating and mysterious organ with multiple functions. The spleen has long been an organ of interest in popular as well as medical literature.
Methods: A literature (Pubmed) and historical review about splenectomy has been performed.
Results: The importance of spleen and the related surgical procedure of splenectomy has been an important topic of scientific interest since the Ancient Greece culture to more modern times.
Conclusions: Spleen and splenectomy have important roles in the medical literature and popular tradition. Nowadays laparoscopic splenectomy is increasingly popular and for certain indications it is considered the gold standard therapy.
Keywords: History of splenectomy; Spleen; Splenectomy.
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