The complexity of sickle cell disease

Wednesday, 1 January 2020

The complexity of sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is a condition caused due to insufficient amount of healthy blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout the body. Sickle cell disease causes severe bone and joint disorders, and it causes severe pain. The hip joint is vulnerable and easy to get affected by sickle cell disease. The femoral head is the most common area of bone destruction due to sickle cell disease.

The other problems caused due to sickle cell disease would be

Avascular necrosis
Issues with thoracic and lumbar spine
Infection with encapsulated organisms
Problems with bone marrow
Dental effects

Bone complications

Based on the location and the extensiveness of the problems, the pain and structural damage can be identified. Patients with sickle cell disease are at risk for infections, and these might be life-threatening and interferes with the functioning and quality of life. It becomes a problem for the mobility and stability of the individual.

Acute bone complications

Sickle cell disease can lead to acute bone marrow necrosis, infections, stroke, and much more. Bone marrow necrosis can be diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Patients with bone marrow necrosis will have severe pain, and epidural anesthesia could be provided to control intense pain. The necrosis would generally occur in the marrow of the ribs, femur, and tibia.

Chronic bone complications

Even though sickle cell disease is a hemoglobin disorder, it is associated with an increased incidence of avascular necrosis. The blood supply to the hip joint is compromised, which in turn causes osteoarthritis of the hip joint. This condition affects younger and middle age groups. This would make the patient difficult to move the body with severe pain and stiffness. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents can be used in the initial stages, whereas, for severe conditions, injections of corticosteroids could help. The doctors would recommend decompression of the tissue in the head of the humerus. MRI scans could help detect the damage to the bone.

Osteomyelitis is an infection on the bones. This could be either acute or chronic in adults, whereas, for kids, it would be acute. It occurs in the pelvis or vertebrae of the spine, and at times, it would occur in the feet with severe pain. A bone biopsy can determine the issue, and further treatments can be performed with the required medications.

At Tosh-Trauma & Orthopedic Hospital, the doctor and his team help to identify the root cause and provides the appropriate treatment for the complications caused by the bone due to sickle cell disease.