Anesthetic Considerations for Percutaneous and Open Right Atrial Thrombectomy in a Hemoglobin SC Patient

SICKLE cell disease (SCD) is a hemoglobinopathy characterized by a multisystem vaso-occlusive process that compromises peripheral blood flow and oxygen delivery, leading to end-organ ischemia, dysfunction, and infarction, as well as chronic pain syndromes.1,2 The abnormal hemoglobin (HgbS) alters the erythrocyte membrane and causes the red blood cell (RBC) to sickle, impairing cell deformability and flexibility. The sickled RBCs adhere to one another and obstruct blood flow. They ultimately hemolyze and are sequestered by the spleen, causing a chronic anemia.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Case Report Source Type: research