Sudden unexpected death in a patient with splenic sequestration and sicklecell-beta(+)-thalassemia syndrome

Acute splenic sequestration crisis is a rare disorder that usually occurs i n children, with sickle cell anemia, who are under the age of five years. A few cases have been described in adults with heterozygous sickle cell synd romes. Though this entity can be fatal there have been no reported cases as sociated with sudden death. We describe a case of sudden, unexpected death, associated with splenic sequestration, in a 29-year-old African-American m an with undiagnosed sickle cell-beta (+)-thalassemia syndrome.