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Can Spleenectomy Cause Any Changes In Sexual Behavior?
Question: Is there any litature,or in your profession, have you experienced patients complains/concerns about changes in sexual behavior after having a spleenectomy?
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Thanks for writing to us.
There is no specific effect of splenectomy on the sexual behaviour.
However, splenectomy is a major surgery, and it is well known for complications like brief depression, withdrawal from normal behaviour and a depressed sexual drive to occur after any major surgery.
Patients complaining of a depressed sexual drive after major surgery is a well known fact.
Normally, after splenectomy, a patient can resume normal sexual activity in 2 - 3 weeks, definitely within a month to six weeks.
If there is altered sexual behaviour persisting beyond 2 - 3 months, it requires evaluation.
The return to normal life after a surgery depends on many factors such as type of surgery ( open or laparoscopic ), whether the surgery was uneventful or complicated, previous factors like age, body weight and other medical histories.
Specially with splenectomy, there might be other existent factors like diabetes, infections, anemia etc that would affect the sex drive.
As such, specifically for changes in sexual behaviour after splenectomy, there is no scientific study or literature.
Take care and feel free to ask for further clarifications.
Thanks for writing to us.
There is no specific effect of splenectomy on the sexual behaviour.
However, splenectomy is a major surgery, and it is well known for complications like brief depression, withdrawal from normal behaviour and a depressed sexual drive to occur after any major surgery.
Patients complaining of a depressed sexual drive after major surgery is a well known fact.
Normally, after splenectomy, a patient can resume normal sexual activity in 2 - 3 weeks, definitely within a month to six weeks.
If there is altered sexual behaviour persisting beyond 2 - 3 months, it requires evaluation.
The return to normal life after a surgery depends on many factors such as type of surgery ( open or laparoscopic ), whether the surgery was uneventful or complicated, previous factors like age, body weight and other medical histories.
Specially with splenectomy, there might be other existent factors like diabetes, infections, anemia etc that would affect the sex drive.
As such, specifically for changes in sexual behaviour after splenectomy, there is no scientific study or literature.
Take care and feel free to ask for further clarifications.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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