Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Splenectomy: what the operation involves | CION Cancer Clinics
A splenectomy removes the spleen, the organ tucked under your left ribs, while you are fully asleep. It is done by keyhole or through one open cut, and most people are home within the same week. This page walks through the tests and vaccines before, the day itself, the first days after, and the one rule you keep for life. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MI
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed ImaduddinConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
4.8★ / 800+Google rating
On this page
- What actually happens in a splenectomy?
- What happens in the weeks before the operation?
- Keyhole or open: which will you have?
- What happens from the anaesthetic to going home?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Three things families tell us before this operation
- Common questions about the splenectomy operation
The short answer
What actually happens in a splenectomy?
A splenectomy is an operation to remove the spleen, the fist-sized organ that sits high on the left side of your belly, tucked under the ribs. You are fully asleep under a general anaesthetic, the surgeon frees the spleen from its blood vessels and its attachments, lifts it out, and closes the cuts. Most people are home within the same week.
Why a cancer surgeon removes it
In cancer care the spleen is removed for one of three reasons. A cancer of the blood or lymph system has settled in it. A cancer of a nearby organ, most often the stomach or the tail of the pancreas, has grown into it. Or the spleen has become so overactive that it is destroying blood cells faster than the body can make them.
Who this operation does not suit
It is not offered to everyone. If the cancer can be treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy instead, the team will usually prefer to keep the spleen. If only a small part is involved, a spleen-preserving operation may be discussed. If your heart or lungs are not strong enough for a general anaesthetic, a different plan is made. Whether you should have this operation is a decision for your treating team, made with you.
This page describes a planned splenectomy. An emergency operation after an injury follows a faster path.Before the day
What happens in the weeks before the operation?
Tests to check you are fit
Blood tests, an ECG of the heart, and usually a chest X-ray. If you have not already had a CT scan of the belly, one is done now so the surgeon can see the size of the spleen and what sits around it.
Vaccines, ideally two weeks before
Because the spleen helps fight certain bacteria, you are given vaccines against them before it is removed. Ideally this is at least two weeks before the operation so your body has time to respond. If surgery cannot wait, the vaccines are given afterwards instead.
The anaesthetist's visit
You meet the anaesthetist, who asks about every medicine you take, including blood thinners, diabetes tablets and any herbal remedy. Do not stop or change anything on your own. The surgeon and anaesthetist decide the timing together.
Consent and fasting
The surgeon explains the plan, the risks and the alternatives, and you sign a consent form. Bring the family member who will be with you afterwards. You will be told when to stop eating and drinking, usually the night before.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistSide by side
Keyhole or open: which will you have?
Keyhole (laparoscopic)
Open surgery
Three or four small cuts and a camera; the spleen comes out in a bag through one of them
One longer cut under the left ribs or down the middle
Usually a shorter hospital stay and a quicker return to normal eating and walking
A longer stay and a slower recovery, but a direct view for the surgeon
Preferred when the spleen is normal-sized or only mildly enlarged
Preferred when the spleen is very large, or when the stomach or pancreas is being removed in the same operation
Can be converted to open mid-operation if bleeding makes it unsafe
Planned from the start
On the day and after
What happens from the anaesthetic to going home?
-
Going to sleep
A small tube is placed in a vein in your hand, and the anaesthetic goes through it. You are asleep within a minute and feel nothing until you wake in the recovery room.
-
The operation itself
The surgeon ties off the artery and vein that feed the spleen, frees it from the stomach, the bowel and the diaphragm, and removes it. The surgeon also looks for small extra spleens, which some people have, and removes those too. The tissue goes to the pathology laboratory.
-
The first night
You wake with a drip, sometimes a small drain tube from the wound, and pain relief already running. Nurses check your blood pressure and the wound often. Sips of water usually start the same evening.
-
The first days
You are helped to sit out of bed and walk on the first day, because moving lowers the chance of chest infection and clots. Food is built up slowly. A blood test checks your platelet count, which often rises after the spleen is gone.
-
Going home
You leave with written instructions, your vaccine record, a splenectomy card, and a plan for any fever. The wound is checked at the first follow-up visit, and the pathology report is discussed then.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
!
One thing that cannot wait, for the rest of your life
Without a spleen, a fever is not an ordinary fever. If you feel shivery, feverish or suddenly very unwell at any point after the operation, even years later, go to the nearest hospital the same day and say you have had your spleen removed. Do not wait to see if it settles, and do not take a paracetamol and go back to bed. Your surgeon will also give you emergency antibiotics to keep at home and tell you when to take them.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether your operation will be keyhole or open, how long it will take, or what will be removed alongside the spleen. Those depend on the scan, the size of the spleen and what the surgeon finds. Ask your surgeon to draw it for you.
It cannot tell you your outlook
Removing the spleen is one step in a treatment plan. It says nothing on its own about how the cancer will behave. That comes from the type of cancer, its stage, meaning how far it has spread, and the pathology report on the tissue removed. Nothing here is a forecast.
What can go wrong
Every operation carries risk. For a splenectomy your surgeon will name bleeding, because the spleen is full of blood; injury to the tail of the pancreas, which sits right against it; chest infection; clots in the leg or lung veins; and wound infection. How likely each is for you depends on your age, your other illnesses and the size of the spleen.
Questions worth asking before you sign
Will the spleen alone be removed, or other organs too? Is a spleen-preserving operation possible for me? Have my vaccines been given? Who do I call at night if I have a fever at home? Write the answers down. The person paying for the care should hear them too.
Bring every scan and report you have, including the ones you think are old.Commonly believed
Three things families tell us before this operation
"The spleen is a useless organ, so removing it changes nothing."
You can live a full life without it, but it is not useless. It filters old blood cells and helps fight certain bacteria. That is why vaccines, a card and a fever plan matter for the rest of your life after it is removed.
"Keyhole means a minor operation."
The cuts are smaller, but the same organ is removed from the same place inside. You still have a general anaesthetic, the same risks of bleeding, and the same lifelong precautions afterwards. The recovery is usually easier, not the operation.
"If they remove the spleen, the cancer is gone."
Sometimes the spleen is removed because it is in the way of another cancer, and sometimes because the cancer is in it. In neither case does the operation by itself settle what happens next. The pathology report and the rest of the plan do that.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about the splenectomy operation
How long does the operation take?
Usually a few hours from going to sleep to waking in recovery, and longer if the stomach or pancreas is being operated on at the same time or the spleen is very large. A longer wait than the family was told does not mean something has gone wrong. Ask the ward to keep you informed.
Will I be awake for any of it?
No. A splenectomy is always done under a general anaesthetic, so you are fully asleep and feel nothing. Some centres also give a pain-numbing injection near the spine or in the wound while you are asleep, so you wake with less pain. Your anaesthetist will explain what is planned.
Will I have a drain tube after the operation?
Sometimes. If the surgeon is worried about fluid collecting near the tail of the pancreas, a soft tube is left in for a few days to let it out. It is not painful, and it is removed on the ward. Many keyhole operations need no drain at all.
Can other organs be removed at the same time?
Yes, and in cancer surgery this is common. The spleen is often removed with part of the stomach, the tail of the pancreas, or a lymph node clearance. Ask your surgeon exactly what is planned, because it changes the recovery and how you eat afterwards.
What is a splenectomy card and why do I need one?
A small card, kept in your wallet, that says you have no spleen. If you ever arrive at an emergency department unwell, it tells the doctors to treat a fever as serious straight away. Show it to every new doctor and dentist you see.
Why is my platelet count high after the operation?
The spleen normally stores and removes platelets, so the count rises once it is gone. This is expected and usually settles over the following weeks. Your team checks it with a blood test, and if it stays very high they may suggest a low-dose aspirin. Do not start one on your own.
When can I go back to work and normal life?
It depends on the type of cut and the kind of work you do. Desk work usually comes back sooner than lifting or field work. Your surgeon will tell you when driving, lifting and travel are safe. Most people feel tired for longer than the wound takes to heal, and that is normal.
Is the operation covered by Aarogyasri or insurance?
Often yes, when it is part of an approved cancer treatment plan. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS and EHS are accepted at CION, and most cashless insurers are empanelled. Call the helpline with your card details before you travel, and we will check what your own cover includes.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Sources
- NHS — Spleen problems and spleen removal
- National Cancer Institute — Splenectomy (NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms)
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Surgery
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Why the Spleen Is Removed in CancerThe reasons a cancer surgeon takes the spleen outLaparoscopic vs Open SplenectomyThe two approaches in more detailVaccinations Before and After SplenectomyWhich vaccines, and when they are givenRecovery After SplenectomyThe weeks after you go homeAnaesthesia for Cancer SurgeryWhat the anaesthetist will ask and do
Talk to us
Been told you may need your spleen removed?
Send us the scan and the report, or call the helpline. A surgical oncologist will tell you what the operation would involve in your case. One helpline serves every CION centre.