A beneficial effect of splenectomy in sickle cell anemia and chronic renal failure.
A 25-year-old black male with known sickle cell disease developed progressive chronic renal failure. Eight months after the initiation of chronic hemodialysis, he developed a rapidly-increasing transfusion requirement. The requirement was one unit of blood per week in order to maintain a hematocrit of 16%. His spleen was found, at that time, to be enlarged both on physical examination and radioisotopic scan. A radiochromium study disclosed a red blood cell half-life of 17 days. No evidence of splenic sequestration could be demonstrated isotopically. Splenectomy produced a marked decrease in the patient's transfusion need. Presently, this patient needs one unit of blood every 10 to 12 weeks to maintain a hematocrit of 18%.
D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013156:Splenectomy