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The spleen is located under your rib cage on the left side of your abdomen. It helps your body fight infections and filters out old or damaged blood cells. When your spleen is damaged or diseased, a splenectomy may need to be performed.
Dignity Health's laparoscopic specialists offer our patients the option of minimally invasive surgery to remove the spleen. This procedure, called laparoscopic splenectomy, is performed when certain conditions affecting the spleen are present, including:
A ruptured spleen requires immediate open surgery. However, if your doctor has given you a diagnosis other than a ruptured spleen, you may have the option of having a minimally invasive surgical procedure.
In conventional open surgery, a large incision is made so the surgeon can remove the spleen.
In contrast, Dignity Health's surgical team performs minimally invasive splenectomy with only a few small incisions:
Laparoscopic splenectomy is performed while you are under general anesthesia and you will need to stay in the hospital for two to six days.
Dignity Health’s board-certified surgeons have undergone extensive fellowship training in advanced laparoscopic techniques, including robotic surgery. This combination of skill and technology offers patients a host of potential benefits, including:
You may be a candidate for a minimally invasive laparoscopic splenectomy. For a referral to a Dignity Health specialist, please call (888) 253-1704.