Near-total splenectomy for hereditary spherocytosis: clinical prospects in relation to disease severity.

We prospectively studied the efficacy of near total splenectomy (NTS) for managing hereditary spherocytosis (HS) based on haemoglobin (Hb), total bilirubin and splenic remnant regrowth in 30 children receiving NTS for HS between November 1996 and December 2004 (mean followup 3.6 years). Patients were classified into three severity groups.