PARTIAL SPLENIC EMBOLIZATION IN CHILDREN WITH HYPERSPLENISM

As an alternative to surgical splenectomy, partial splenic embolizatio n was performed in seven children for hypersplenism manifested by sple nomegaly, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and erythrocyte hemolysis. Wit hin a few days, platelet and leukocyte counts rose significantly in al l patients and were maintained in six of seven patients during a follo w-up period of 9 to 69 months. Spleen size and abdominal distention al so decreased significantly in all children. There were no infectious c omplications.