Therapeutic or Preventive Procedure
splenectomy Audio
sple·nec·to·my [ spli-nek-tuh-mee ]
Subclass of:
Operative Surgical Procedures
Etymology:
Greek splen = spleen + ektome = excision
Definitions related to splenectomy:
  • An operation to remove the spleen.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Surgical procedure involving either partial or entire removal of the spleen.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Surgical removal of part or all of the spleen.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Surgical removal of the spleen.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Splenectomy is a surgical procedure to remove your spleen. The spleen is an organ that sits under your rib cage on the upper left side of your abdomen. It helps fight infection and filters unneeded material, such as old or damaged blood cells, from your blood.
    Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.