A 34-year-old female presents with recurrent bruising, petechiae, and intermittent epistaxis. Laboratory workup reveals severe thrombocytopenia with a platelet count of 18,000/μL. She has a history of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) refractory to corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). After failed medical management, the patient undergoes a laparoscopic splenectomy. Postoperative recovery is uneventful, and her platelet count stabilizes within the normal range. Which of the following is the most feared complication after splenectomy?
