Sickle cell disease and aortic valve replacement - Use of cardiopulmonary bypass, partial exchange transfusion, platelet sequestration, and continuous hemofiltration

Sickle cell disease in patients undergoing open hear? procedures presents a multitude of challenges to the medical staff With improved techniques of c ardiopulmonary bypass, surgery, and anesthesia for treating patients with s ickle cell disease, perfusionists will likely encounter patients with this genetic disorder on a more frequent basis. A 40-year-old black woman was admitted to our institution with recurrent St aphylococcus epidermidis and sepsis. She underwent transesophageal echocard iography and cardiac catheterization and was subsequently diagnosed with se vere aortic insufficiency The aortic valve was replaced. Herein, we report our experience in he preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative managem ent of this patient. We present a concise update on the current literature and techniques used by others in similar cases, and we provide a brief sect ion on future considerations to assist fellow practitioners in recognizing this dis ease and meeting the accompanying challenges.