Splenectomy in cases of osteomyelofibrosis: Indications and results

Osteomyelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative disorder in which fibrosis and sclerosis finally lead to bone marrow obliteration. Liver and spleen compensate for bone marrow loss with extramedullary hematopoesis. In some patients the resulting splenomegaly causes severe symptoms such as local compression, thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia, In such patients, splenectomy is the only promising treatment, although it represents a significant risk.