Thrombocytosis after splenectomy
Often a splenectomy, i.e. surgical removal of the spleen, is the cause of an increase in the number of thrombocytes in the blood. The spleen is responsible for “blood moulting”. It eliminates old or damaged blood cells from the bloodstream and breaks them down.
The blood platelets are also subject to this regulation. If the spleen is now removed, fewer platelets are broken down and the number of platelets in the blood increases. In addition, the production of blood platelets is stimulated by the operation and also leads to their multiplication.One to two weeks after the procedure, the concentration of platelets can be up to 1 million per microliter. After some time, the value decreases by itself, but a slight increase in the number of platelets remains.
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