[Anesthesia and sickle cell disease]

Sickle cell anaemia is the most common hereditary haemoglobin pathology. It is found in either a homozygous or heterozygous form, associated in the latter case with other haemoglobinopathies. In view of the pathogenesis and the various related imbalances, amply confirmed by others, which can well prove disastrous, the pre, per and post-operative precautions to be adopted in such patients are assessed.