[Fatal course of a sequestration crisis in hemoglobin SC disease]

A 14 year-old patient developed severe anemia and splenomegaly 2 days after the onset of a febrile upper airway infection. The hemoglobin concentration had dropped to 1.1 g/dl. Death occurred as consequence of the acute anemia and peripheral circulatory failure. The crisis was caused by an acute splenic sequestration. Hemoglobin SC disease could be identified as the underlying disorder. Hemoglobin SC disease usually has a milder course than sickle cell disease. However the patients may develop the same crisis-like symptoms. Splenic sequestration is caused by the occlusion of the splenic sinuses due to sickled and aggregated erythrocytes with subsequent trapping of large blood volumes and circulatory failure. Regular transfusions and/or splenectomy are recommended to prevent splenic sequestration crisis.