Sickle Cell Disease: Surgery
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Surgery
There is no surgical cure for sickle cell disease.
Some sickle cell disease complications are treated by surgery. These surgeries involve:
- Removing the spleen (splenectomy), to prevent the trapping of too many red blood cells in the spleen (splenic sequestration).
- Removing the gallbladder (cholecystectomy), to prevent problems caused by gallstones.
- Draining fluid from the penis in cases of severe priapism.
- Hip replacement, if the tissue in the hip breaks down and dies because it doesn't get enough blood (osteonecrosis).
| Last updated: | January 19, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Reviewed By: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Martin Steinberg, MD - Hematology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC |
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