Such factors might include the age at which a patient first develops symptoms and whether the patient had a splenectomy.
In all cases of partial splenectomy, the spleen has regrown to its original size. ' he said.
Despite appropriate efforts some patients remain unvaccinated, while true vaccine failures may also contribute to pneumococcal infection post splenectomy.
The related patient card is a card splenectomy patients should carry with them to alert healthcare professionals to their condition.
Splenectomy is usually avoided in children younger than five years because of the increased risk of a severe postoperative infection.