The study parameters included age, sex, the greatest splenic diameter, preoperative platelet count, preoperative hematocrit level and postoperative diagnosis. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated as the ratio of weight (kg) divided by height squared (m2). All the patients were evaluated with the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score (10). Operative data included operative time as measured from first skin incision to the application of dressings, intraoperative blood loss, splenic weight after intact removal, conversion, pain score, and postoperative length of hospital stay. Complications were classified as intraoperative or postoperative. The pain of all patients was scored during postoperative days. The visual analogue scale defined by Wewers (11) was used for the evaluation of the degree of pain.