Autosplenectomy

From Freepedia

An autosplenectomy occurs when a disease damages the spleen to such an extect that it is non-functioning and so equivalent to the spleen having been surgically removed (splenectomy). This may occur in sickle-cell disease and spherocytosis.

Absence of effective splenic function (asplenia) is associated with increased risks of overwhelming post splenectomy infection.