Case Report
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World J Gastrointest Surg. Apr 27, 2013; 5(4): 129-134
Published online Apr 27, 2013. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v5.i4.129
Laparoscopic splenectomy for histiocytic sarcoma of the spleen
Satoshi Yamamoto, Tadashi Tsukamoto, Akishige Kanazawa, Sadatoshi Shimizu, Keiichiro Morimura, Takahiro Toyokawa, Zhang Xiang, Katsunobu Sakurai, Tatsunari Fukuoka, Kayo Yoshida, Mamiko Takii, Ken Inoue
Satoshi Yamamoto, Tadashi Tsukamoto, Akishige Kanazawa, Sadatoshi Shimizu, Keiichiro Morimura, Takahiro Toyokawa, Zhang Xiang, Katsunobu Sakurai, Tatsunari Fukuoka, Kayo Yoshida, Mamiko Takii, Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka 534-0021, Japan
Satoshi Yamamoto, Division of Surgery, Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery and Artificial Organ and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
Ken Inoue, Department of Pathology, Osaka City General Medical Hospital, Osaka 534-0021, Japan
Author contributions: Yamamoto S, Tsukamoto T and Kanazawa A contributed equally to this work; Yamamoto S, Tsukamoto T and Kanazawa A were the doctors in charge and performed the operations; Inoue K is a pathologist who was involved in the pathological diagnosis; Shimizu S, Morimura K, Toyokawa T, Xiang Z, Sakurai K, Fukuoka T, Yoshida K and Takii M helped the doctors in charge in managing the ward; and Yamamoto S and Tsukamoto T wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Satoshi Yamamoto, MD, Division of Surgery, Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Artificial Organ and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. satoshi.hbps@gmail.com
Telephone: +81-7-22294882 Fax: +81-7-22299172
Received: November 12, 2012
Revised: February 19, 2013
Accepted: March 5, 2013
Published online: April 27, 2013
Processing time: 162 Days and 12.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Surgeons usually avoid choosing laparoscopic surgery for splenic malignancy because an enlarged spleen disrupts optimal views. Some authors reported that initial ligation of the splenic artery led to shrinkage of the spleen; therefore, the operation was easier. We report a case of splenic malignancy that was diagnosed as histiocytic sarcoma and treated by laparoscopic splenectomy with initial ligation of the splenic artery. In this case, because the size of the spleen was reduced after splenic artery ligation, the laparoscopic operation was performed safely. The patient was discharged 12 d after the operation despite her old age.