Surgical Procedures for Sickle Cell Disease

June 10, 2008 - 7:30am

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Surgical Procedures for Sickle Cell Disease

For Treating Complications

Surgical procedures that may be necessary to treat complications of sickle cell disease include:

]]>Splenectomy]]> —to remove a spleen destroyed by sickle cell disease or to try to prevent recurrent sickle cell crises (the evidence that this can help is still incomplete)
]]>Hip replacement]]> —to treat a hip destroyed by avascular necrosis
]]>Gall bladder surgery]]> —to remove a gall bladder that isn’t functioning properly
Laser eye surgery—for complications affecting your vision

References:

Cecil Textbook of Medicine . 22nd ed. W.B. Saunders Company; 2003.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ .

Owusu-Ofori S, Riddington C. Splenectomy versus conservative management for acute sequestration crises in people with sickle cell disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2002;(4):CD003425.

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America website. Available at: http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/ .

Weiner CM. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine . 17th ed. New York, NY: McGraw – Hill; 2008.

Last reviewed June 2008 by ]]>Mark A. Best, MD, MPH, MBA]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.