Splenic preservation with the use of a stapling instrument: a preliminary communication.

Observation, ligation of the splenic artery, repair of the spleen by simple suturing with or without the use of hemostatic agents, omentum, an absorbable net or ladder, and partial splenectomy have all been proposed as a means of preserving the injured spleen. A new technique of partial splenectomy with the use of a stapling instrument is presented. The instrument has been used with success experimentally in dogs and in two patients.