To compare the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) and open splenectomy (OS), and to study the safety, advantages and disadvantages of LS.

From June 2013 to June 2015, twenty cases undergoing OS were selected as the control group, other 20 patients with LS at the same period were selected as the study group. The clinical effect including operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, complications and visual analog scale score-VAS at postoperative 6-, 12-, 24-h, liver function (aspartate aminotransferase-AST, serum albumin-ALB, alanine aminotrans-ferase-ALT) and immune function (CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺) were compared between two groups.

Compared to the control group, operation time in the study group was significantly longer (P<0.05), and blood loss, postoperative hospital stay was significantly less (P<0.05). There was no pancreatic leakage, bleeding, subphrenic effusion in the two groups. VAS scores at postoperative 6-, 12-, 24-h and AST, ALT at postoperative 3 d in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CD4⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ at postoperative 3 d in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).

Laparoscopic splenectomy is safe and effective therapy with minimal invasion, less blood loss, quick recovery, which can improve liver function and immune func-tion of patients.