Clinical Images
Disseminated Infections in Functional Versus Anatomical Asplenia
Junaid Arshad, MD, Sina Raissi, MD, FACP, FASN
April 15, 2016
A 33 year-old African American female with past medical history of sickle cell disease presented with recurrent sickle cell vaso-occlusive crises and right lower extremity numbness. Computed tomography (CT) imaging of the spine done to evaluate for compression incidentally revealed severe splenic calcification, consistent with auto-splenectomy that is commonly observed in sickle cell patients (Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 1
Figure 2
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References:
1. Rubin, Lorry G., MD, and William Schaffner, MD. "Care of the Asplenic Patient." New England Journal Of Medicine 371 (2014): 349-56. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
2. Lutwick LI. Infections in asplenic patients. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's principles and practice of infectious diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010:3865-73.
About the Authors:
1. Junaid Arshad, MD
Resident Physician, St. Mary’s Hospital Waterbury , CT
2. Sina Raissi, MD, FACP, FASN
Attending Internal Medicine, Nephrology, St. Mary’s Hospital Waterbury, CT