A Comparative Study of Blood Transfusion versus Splenectomy in Thalassemia Major Patients with Splenomegaly

Basics and Objectives: Thalassemia represents an inherited disorder with either lack of or reduced hemoglobin beta or alpha chains production with destruction of red blood cells in spleen resulting in splenomegaly. Blood transfusions are usually performed in patients of Thalassemia major frequently but few Patients with Splenomegaly having increased blood requirement that prevents control with iron chelating agents, hypersplenism with Pancytopenias and symptomatic Splenomegaly with left upper quadrant pain require elective splenectomy respectively. This study includes observational study of 50 Patients with Thalassemia major admitted in Paediatric department who have been treated either conservatively with only blood transfusions or undergone elective splenectomy and comparing the outcomes in both cases. Our study results confirm that elective Splenectomy patients had better outcomes compared to those who were treated only conservatively with blood transfusions every 2 - 3 weeks.