BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE IN THALASSEMIC PATIENTS AFTER SPLENECTOMY

Objective: To see the change in quality of life and the effect on transfusion requirement after splenectomy in thalassemia major patients. Study design: A cohort study. Place and duration: In the Surgical Unit of Shalamar hospital Lahore for one-year duration from 1st July 2019 to 30th June 2020. Methodology: We analyzed 28 Thalassemia Major patients and underwent splenectomy. Data on age, gender, splenectomy indications, morbidity, and procedure-related mortality were collected from hospital records, and changes to transfusion requirements were collected. Change in quality of life was assessed using a questionnaire that was completed by patients or their families. Results: Out of 28 patients, 15 (53.5%) were male and 13 (46.5%) were female. The mean age was 23 years (range 5-26). The mean unit of blood transfusion in the six months prior to splenectomy was 18.1, which decreased to 9.09 in the six months postoperatively. One patient died on the first postoperative day due to difficult-to-treat cardiac arrhythmias. There were no reports of severe infection after splenectomy or long-term morbidity. The vast majority of patients (90.4%) experienced a significant improvement in the quality of life after splenectomy. Interestingly, 95% of patients were satisfied with the result due to fewer transfusions and fewer hospital visits. Conclusion: In thalassemia; splenectomy is a safe procedure, and in children with massive splenomegaly that requires large transfusions, selective splenectomy can help reduce this requirement and improve their quality of life. Key words: thalassemia, splenectomy, blood transfusions, quality of lif