Sickle Cell Disease - A Case Report

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major healthcare and societal problem affecting millions of people worldwide. In United States of America (USA), it is the most common genetic disorder affecting more than 80,000 people per year; majority of which are the African Americans Arabian and Indian. It is a genetic blood disorder affecting the red blood cells. Sickle cell pain is the hallmark of sickle cell disease and is associated with a very high mortality and morbidity rates. Being a genetic abnormality, the complete eradication of the disease from the affected seems to be difficult. Genetic counselling during pregnancy being the prime preventive step, Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation becomes the mainstay of treatment for complete eradication of the disease. But it is not done very often because of the significant risks involved.