Abstract
Background: The removal of the spleen due to disease or trauma may be followed by disorders due to the asplenic state, including immunodeficiency, hematological and metabolic diseases, mainly related to dyslipidemia, which can lead to sepsis, pulmonary embolism and early death. Although patients frequently report sexual disinterest after splenectomy, this feature has not yet been studied. Objective: To verify libido and other sexual functions after the complete removal of the spleen. Method: This study was performed on 60 healthy adults, 30 men and 30 women, after more than one year of total splenectomy to treat isolated splenic trauma. The International Index of Erectile Function was applied to men and the Female Sexual Function Index to women. The analysis compared the responses obtained in the periods before and after the splenectomy. Laboratory tests with hematological and biochemical analyses, including sex hormones, were performed in all patients. The pre- and postoperative results were compared in each group using the paired t-test, with each patient being his or her own control and with significance corresponding to p < 0.05. Results: A decrease in libido and an increase in sexual dysfunction was observed after splenectomy in all men and women, p < 0.001. All postoperative laboratory tests showed normal values in both genders. Conclusion: Asplenia is associated with a marked decrease in libido and intense sexual dysfunction in both men and women, with no change in hematological and biochemical laboratory tests, including hormonal exams. Funding: This study was funding by the Research Support Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: This research was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais, logged under protocol number 4068934/2016.
Highlights
The removal of the spleen due to disease or trauma may be followed by disorders due to the asplenism, including immunodeficiency, hematological and metabolic diseases, mainly dyslipidemia, which can lead to sepsis, pulmonary embolism and early death
The only published study that relates sexual activity to the spleen or splenectomy belongs to the authors of this s tudy[9]
The previous work, carried out on couples of mice, started this translational investigation and found a reduction in the number of pregnancies after splenectomy. Another finding of that study was the reduction in the number of puppies from couples who had a pregnancy after s plenectomy[9]
Summary
The removal of the spleen due to disease or trauma may be followed by disorders due to the asplenism, including immunodeficiency, hematological and metabolic diseases, mainly dyslipidemia, which can lead to sepsis, pulmonary embolism and early death. Asplenia is associated with a marked decrease in libido and intense sexual dysfunction in both men and women, with normal hematological and biochemical laboratory tests, including hormonal exams. The removal of the spleen due to disease or trauma may lead to adversities resulting from the asplenic state, including immune, hematological and metabolic disorders, mainly dyslipidemia, early death due to sepsis and pulmonary e mbolism[3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. The purpose of this study was to verify changes in libido and other sexual functions after the complete removal of the spleen
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