Partial Splenic Artery Embolization for the Treatment of ITP: A Case Series-Pilot Study

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of partial splenic artery embolization (PSE), in the treatment and management of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Six patients with ITP who underwent PSE were followed up. The condition was either refractory to medications like steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, immunosuppressants, or required very high doses of these drugs which could not be tapered down. Five out of six patients did not have good response even after adding immunosuppresants to steroids. The 6 patients who underwent PSE were followed up to 7 to 18 months with an average duration of 3.5 years. A therapeutic effect was defined as a platelet count of > 10,000/cumm (level below which spontaneous bleeding is likely to occur) at the last follow-up date with marked decrease in drug dosage. A good response was seen in all the patients – their doses of drugs could be reduced considerably and all had platelet count well above 10,000 during the last follow up after PSE. None of the patients who underwent embolization had any serious complications.

Keywords

ITP - steroids - immunosuppressants - partial splenic artery embolization

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