Overwhelming Post-Splenectomy Infection Syndrome: Variability in Timing With Similar Presentation

Anupam K Gupta; Oscar A Vazquez

doi:10.7759/cureus.9914

Overwhelming Post-Splenectomy Infection Syndrome: Variability in Timing With Similar Presentation

Cureus. 2020 Aug 21;12(8):e9914. doi: 10.7759/cureus.9914.

Authors

Anupam K Gupta¹, Oscar A Vazquez²

Affiliations

¹ Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Miami Hospital, Miami, USA.
² Surgery, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA.

Abstract

Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI) syndrome is a rare and well-known entity that rapidly progresses with poor outcomes. Two patients underwent splenectomy after trauma and later presented with flu-like symptoms and thrombocytopenia, which then progressed to fulminant sepsis and death. The first patient had sepsis 20 days post-splenectomy, and the second patient underwent splenectomy 15 years before presentation. Both patients expired within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Even with no specific criteria for diagnosis, prompt identification of the overwhelming post-splenectomy infection is necessary; however, the prognosis is usually poor, even with aggressive treatment.

Keywords: infection; opsi; sepsis; splenectomy.

Publication types

Case Reports