Experimental study of the effects of splenectomy and partial splenectomy on bacterial translocation

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of splenectomy and partial splenectomy in a burn-induced bacterial translocation model and to study Kupffer cell (KC) morphology and number. Methods: Mice were divided into sham-burn and burn groups. Each group was also subdivided to sham-splenectomy. partial-splenectomy, and splenectomy subgroups. At day 0, operations were performed. At the postoperative 10th dal, a sham burn or burn injury H-as made in all animals, Twenty-four hours later, cultures for bacterial translocation were obtained and livers were evaluated for the quantity and morphology of KCs, Results: Burned-splenectomized animals had significantly. decreased bacterial translocation when compared with sham-splenectomized animals (p = 0.031). Interestingly, in both the sham-burned and burned groups, splenectomy subgroups had significantly higher numbers of KCs compared with partial-splenectomy and sham-splenectomy subgroups (p < 0.00000), Burn injury caused a significant decrease of KC numbers in all subgroups compared,vith their correspondent sham-burned subgroups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Results revealed that splenectomy decreases bacterial translocation and also increases the number of KCs.