What precautions should be taken after splenectomy?

Q: My 87 years old mother is a heart patient. Her spleen has been removed recently due to a fall she had. What kind of precautions does she need to take after she gets back home? I have come to know that she will no longer be able to fight infections. Please advise.

A:Post-splenectomy infections are a subject of debate, but there is a general consensus that the risks of infection are slightly increased. The magnitude of the increase, from several studies, is by about 1%. Thus, her risk of infection after splenectomy is only about 1% more than that of the average population. Don't worry about it at all.