Red cell fragmentation produced by renal artery stenosis

Fragmentation hemolytic anemia caused by mechanical trauma of red cells has been associated with abnormalities either of the heart and aorta or of small arteries. However, disease of arteries that constitute major branches of the aorta, in particular renal artery stenosis, has not previously been shown to produce this syndrome. In this report, the authors describe a patient with severe, bilateral renal artery stenosis, who had a fragmentation hemolytic anemia that resolved after surgical correction of the arterial lesions.