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Splenectomy for infected spleen - the whole plan, not just the operation.

Laparoscopic and open splenectomy for splenic abscess, infected infarct and septic emboli - with the vaccination pack, prophylactic antibiotics and lifelong post-splenectomy plan built in from day one.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private splenectomy for infection costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our upper-GI network. Firm figures across two or three options - with cover checked - inside one working day.

In short

Laparoscopic splenectomy for an infected spleen: £11,000–£17,000, home in 3–5 nights.

ProcedureIndicative range
Laparoscopic splenectomy for infected spleen £11,000–£17,000
Open splenectomy for infected spleen or abscess £13,000–£20,000
Emergency splenectomy for rupture with sepsis £16,000–£26,000
Percutaneous CT-guided splenic abscess drainage £3,500–£5,500
Splenic artery embolisation (interventional radiology) £5,500–£8,500
Pre-operative vaccination pack (pneumococcal, MenACWY, MenB, Hib, flu) £350–£550
Upper-GI surgeon consultation £280–£450

Prices vary by hospital, by approach (laparoscopic, hand-assisted, open), by how septic you are on admission, and by whether interventional radiology drainage is done first. Vaccine and follow-up costs are included in the quote where possible.

The problem

The operation is only half the job.

An infected spleen is a physiological emergency. What matters as much as the surgery is the drainage plan, the antibiotics, the vaccines and the lifelong sepsis prevention that follows.

  • Drain first, sometimes

    A small, unilocular abscess in a stable patient often drains successfully - an option we always consider before booking theatre.

  • Vaccinate before you cut

    Vaccine response is better with a functioning spleen. We give the pack two weeks before elective surgery where the situation allows.

  • Discharge with the plan in hand

    Prophylactic antibiotics, standby course, medic-alert card and vaccine schedule - signed off before you leave the ward.

When it helps

When removing an infected spleen is the right step.

The infection patterns we see most, plus the red flag that means A&E within the hour.

  • Splenic abscess

    A localised collection inside the spleen with fever, LUQ pain and raised inflammatory markers. Small unilocular abscesses may be drained; larger or multilocular collections need splenectomy.

  • Infected splenic infarct

    A dead segment that becomes colonised - classically in sickle cell disease, endocarditis or after embolisation. Fails to settle with antibiotics.

  • Infected splenic cyst

    A congenital or post-traumatic cyst that becomes secondarily infected. Aspiration alone recurs; splenectomy is definitive.

  • Ruptured infected spleen

    A pyogenic or amoebic abscess that ruptures - emergency laparotomy, wash-out, splenectomy and intensive care support.

  • Endocarditis with septic emboli

    Septic embolisation from an infected heart valve seeds the spleen. A cardiology and cardiothoracic joint plan is essential before surgery.

  • Tuberculous splenic infection

    Splenic TB is rare but real, especially in immunocompromised patients. Treatment is medical first; surgery for complications only.

  • Fungal splenic abscess

    Seen in profound immunosuppression - leukaemia, HIV, transplant. Requires prolonged antifungal cover and, sometimes, splenectomy to clear.

  • Red flag: rigors, hypotension, LUQ pain

    Fever with rigors, low blood pressure and left upper quadrant pain in a known spleen problem is emergency sepsis. A&E and blood cultures within the hour, not a routine call.

Procedure options

Approach depends on the abscess, the anatomy and the patient.

Every option - from CT-guided drainage through laparoscopic and open splenectomy to embolisation - and where conservative management earns its place.

  • Laparoscopic splenectomy

    The default when the abscess is contained and the spleen not massively enlarged. Four small ports, specimen in a bag, home in 3–5 nights.

  • Hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy

    A useful middle ground for larger or friable spleens - a small helper incision protects the specimen without a full laparotomy.

  • Open splenectomy

    For rupture, extensive adhesions, very enlarged spleens or a physiologically unstable patient. Left subcostal or midline incision, 5–8 nights.

  • CT-guided percutaneous drainage

    For unilocular pyogenic abscesses in a well patient - a first step that may buy time or, occasionally, avoid splenectomy altogether.

  • Splenic artery embolisation

    Interventional radiology option that reduces bleeding risk before surgery in a very large or hyperaemic spleen, or as a definitive treatment for select infarct scenarios.

  • Partial splenectomy

    Rarely appropriate in infection - but occasionally used in children or for localised disease where preserving splenic immune function matters.

  • Combined procedures

    Endocarditis, colorectal or pancreatic surgery may need to happen in the same theatre visit - planned by a joint team from the outset.

  • Conservative management

    Small, well-drained abscesses in a stable patient may resolve on intravenous antibiotics alone, avoiding splenectomy and the lifelong sepsis risk that follows it.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Splenectomy is a well-established operation. The things worth planning are bleeding risk, portal vein thrombosis and the lifetime sepsis-prevention that follows.

  • GA with a septic-anaesthesia team

    A consultant anaesthetist experienced in septic surgery, invasive monitoring for unstable patients, and HDU on standby.

  • Bleeding - the classical splenic risk

    The spleen is vascular. Blood transfusion is not unusual in emergency cases; conversion from laparoscopic to open happens in 3–8% of infected-spleen operations.

  • Injury to adjacent structures

    Pancreatic tail, stomach and colon sit against the spleen - injury to each is rare (under 1%) but the team must be set up to recognise and repair.

  • Portal or splenic vein thrombosis

    Occurs in 5–10% of splenectomies. We screen with Doppler at two weeks and treat with anticoagulation if present.

  • Wound and pelvic infection

    Wound infection under 5% laparoscopic, higher after open surgery in a septic patient. Chest infection is common early on - early physio helps.

  • DVT and PE

    Post-splenectomy platelets rise sharply. We prescribe DVT prophylaxis and, in high-platelet patients, sometimes short-course aspirin.

  • Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI)

    A rare but lethal syndrome - encapsulated bacteria (pneumococcus, meningococcus, Hib) can cause fulminant sepsis. Lifelong prophylactic antibiotics and full vaccination reduce this to a small residual risk.

  • Vaccination boosters and travel

    Pneumococcal booster every five years, flu jab annually, travel-specific vaccines (meningitis, typhoid) as needed. Malaria and babesia risk in endemic areas rises after splenectomy.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Any fever above 38°C, rigors, worsening abdominal pain or shortness of breath - take the standby antibiotic and call the same-day team or A&E immediately.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever approach was used, the note the upper-GI surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant upper-GI surgeon reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the microbiology before your review, just ask.

  1. 01Header

    Indication, approach and blood loss

    Why the spleen came out (abscess, infarct, rupture, cyst), whether it was laparoscopic, hand-assisted or open, and estimated blood loss.

  2. 02Technique

    Anatomy and adjacent findings

    The size of the spleen, any adhesions, the state of the pancreatic tail, and whether an accessory spleen was found and removed.

  3. 03Findings

    Microbiology and histology

    What grew from the abscess fluid and splenic tissue, sensitivity to antibiotics, and the histology of the spleen itself - infection, infarction, tumour or Gaucher-type infiltration.

  4. 04Impression

    Post-splenectomy plan

    Read this first: the antibiotic regimen, vaccine schedule, thromboprophylaxis plan, follow-up ultrasound and the medic-alert card details.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Splenectomy is usually covered when clinically indicated.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about splenectomy for infection.

Quick answers on drainage, vaccines, prophylactic antibiotics, cost and long-term risk.

  • Can an infected spleen always be treated without surgery?

    No. Small unilocular pyogenic abscesses in a well patient may resolve on intravenous antibiotics with or without percutaneous drainage. Larger, multilocular, ruptured or fungal collections almost always need splenectomy. The decision is made by an upper-GI surgeon and interventional radiologist together, on the imaging and the patient in front of them.

  • What vaccines do I need before and after splenectomy?

    UK Green Book guidance is pneumococcal (PCV13 then PPV23), meningococcal ACWY and B, Hib and annual influenza. Where surgery is elective they are given at least two weeks before theatre; in emergencies they are given two weeks after surgery. Pneumococcal boosters are given every five years.

  • Do I have to take antibiotics for life afterwards?

    Current UK guidance recommends daily prophylactic penicillin V - or erythromycin if allergic - for at least the first two years, and lifelong in high-risk groups such as children under five and immunocompromised adults. Everyone gets a standby course to take at the first sign of fever and a medic-alert card to carry.

  • What is the difference between splenic embolisation and splenectomy?

    Embolisation is an interventional radiology technique that blocks selected splenic arteries - it can reduce bleeding before surgery in a very large spleen and is occasionally definitive for trauma or localised infarct. Splenectomy removes the spleen surgically and is the definitive treatment for most infected spleens.

  • How much does a private splenectomy cost in the UK?

    Roughly £11,000–£17,000 for laparoscopic splenectomy, £13,000–£20,000 for open, and £16,000–£26,000 for emergency splenectomy with sepsis. Percutaneous drainage is £3,500–£5,500 and the pre-operative vaccine pack is £350–£550.

  • What are the long-term consequences of losing the spleen?

    You are more susceptible to infection with encapsulated bacteria, malaria and babesia, and to portal and splenic vein thrombosis. With daily antibiotic prophylaxis, full vaccination and prompt treatment of any fever, most people live entirely normal lives - the trick is remembering the standby antibiotics and the annual flu jab.

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