PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Nidal A. Younes AU - Maysa A. Al-Hussaini TI - An unusual association between splenectomy and Kikuchi s disease DP - 2005 Jun 01 TA - Saudi Medical Journal PG - 992--994 VI - 26 IP - 6 4099 - http://smj.org.sa/content/26/6/992.short 4100 - http://smj.org.sa/content/26/6/992.full SO - Saudi Med J2005 Jun 01; 26 AB - Kikuchi s disease is a clinico-pathologic entity of unknown etiology characterized by subacute inflammatory process of lymph nodes. It affects mostly women around the age of 30 years. It is usually a self limiting illness characterized by pyrexia, neutropenia, and cervical lymphadenopathy. We report a case of Kikuchi s disease in a patient with past history of splenectomy. A 35-year-old otherwise healthy female patient presented with 15 days history of fever, night sweats, and right cervical lymphadenopathy. She was on no medication and had no contact with animals or patients with tuberculosis. Her past history revealed splenectomy for thrombocytopenia 14 years before presentation. Lymphoma was suspected and she was referred for a cervical lymph node biopsy. The final histopathology diagnosis revealed subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis consistent with Kikuchi s disease. This is the first case of Kikuchi s disease presenting in a post splenectomy patient.