J Trauma
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Comparative Study
Immediate splenectomy decreases mortality and improves cognitive function of rats after severe traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health problem all over the world. It frequently causes a considerable social burden because of its high incidence of death and long-term disability, especially in the case of severe TBI. Recent studies revealed that the spleen might contribute to secondary brain injury after ischemia or intracerebral hemorrhage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of the spleen in traumatic brain edema after severe TBI. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that splenectomy has a protective effect on rats with severe TBI by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, both systematically and locally in the injured brain, hence leading to a decreased mortality and improved cognitive function.