Post-Splenectomy megathromobocythaemia hypothesis: Absence of splenic storage

Platelet numbers and mean platelet volume were measured in 84 patients who had under-gone splenectomy one to ten years previously. Similar measurements were carried out on 77 control subjects. The results showed that the platelet count (p = 0.0005) and mean platelet volume (p = 0.0001) are significantly greater in splenectomized patients than in healthy noromosplenic control subjects. It is suggested that these differences are explained by the absence of splenic storage.