Preliminary Results of Laparotomy with Splenectomy in Patients Previously Treated for Hodgkin’s Disease

Between October 1969 and July 1972 primary staging laparotomies with splenectomy were carried out in 29 patients with Hodgkin’s disease. In 41 cases secondary laparotomy with splenectomy was performed 1–12 years after the initial treatment. At secondary laparotomy, 4 of 27 cases (= 15%) in clinical stages I and II (Ann Arbor) and 8 of 14 cases in stage III (Ann Arbor) showed involvement of abdominal lymph nodes and/or the spleen, and two cases with hepatic involvement were observed. Secondary laparotomy with splenectomy is an appropriate method when initial treatment has not been completely successful and further therapeutic measures are necessary to correct this.