Severe hemolytic anemia after repair of primum septal defect and cleft mitral valve

Two cases are described in which severe mechanical hemolytic anemia developed after surgical repair of primum atrial septal defect (ASD) and cleft mitral valve. In both cases there was residual mitral regurgitation after repair. Moderate mitral regurgitation and collision of the regurgitant jet with the teflon patch used for repair of the primum ASD were detected by color-Doppler echocardiography imaging. Laboratory tests showed normochromic normocytic anemia, increased indirect serum bilirubin, decreased plasma haptoglobin and hemoglobinuria. The peripheral blood smear contained numerous fragmented red cells. Following another surgical correction of the mitral valve (repair or mitral valve replacement), there was no more hemolysis. The two presented cases show that foreign materials in association with localized intracardiac turbulence may cause severe hemolysis.