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[A case of hereditary spherocytosis--role of complement system in hemolysis (author's transl)]
A female patient, 27 years old, with the chief complaint of anemia and jaundice, was diagnosed as hereditary spherocytosis with a complication of cholelithiasis and was examined before and after the operation of cholecystectomy and splenectomy. The surgery was followed by an increase in red cells, decrease in reticulocytes and normalization of serum bilirubin level. Both prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were normal before and after the surgery. The serum level of complement 4 was 11.5 mg/dl before and 20 days after the surgery it rose to 37 mg/dl. Similarly the serum level of complement 3c was 30 mg/dl before and 72 mg/dl 4 days after the surgery. From these results it was inferred that red cells of the patient were liable to hemolysis by the action of the complement system which was favored by an intrasplenic hemostasis without incurring intravascular coagulation.
A female patient, 27 years old, with the chief complaint of anemia and jaundice, was diagnosed as hereditary spherocytosis with a complication of cholelithiasis and was examined before and after the operation of cholecystectomy and splenectomy. The surgery was followed by an increase in red cells, decrease in reticulocytes and normalization of serum bilirubin level. Both prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were normal before and after the surgery. The serum level of complement 4 was 11.5 mg/dl before and 20 days after the surgery it rose to 37 mg/dl. Similarly the serum level of complement 3c was 30 mg/dl before and 72 mg/dl 4 days after the surgery. From these results it was inferred that red cells of the patient were liable to hemolysis by the action of the complement system which was favored by an intrasplenic hemostasis without incurring intravascular coagulation.