OVERWHELMING POSTSPLENECTOMY INFECTION

The incidence of overwhelming sepsis in asplenic patients is low. It c arries, however, an unacceptably high morbidity rate and mortality rat e. The risk of development is related to the age of the patient as wel l as the duration since and the reason for splenectomy. It may also oc cur in functionally hyposplenic states. The rapidly lethal clinical co urse demands intense efforts toward prevention by both physician and p atient, rapid recognition within the initial medical setting, and aggr essive intervention with broad-spectrum antibiotics and other supporti ve measures.