Complications of Sickle Cell Disease | Everything Sickle Cell

Complications

Sickle cell anemia can lead to a host of complications, including:

    - Stroke. A stroke can occur if sickle cells block blood flow to an area of your brain.
      Stroke is one of the most serious complications of the disease. Signs of stroke include
      seizures, weakness or numbness of your arms and legs, sudden speech difficulties, and
      loss of consciousness. If your baby or child has any of these signs and symptoms, seek
      medical treatment immediately. A stroke can be fatal.

    - Acute chest syndrome. This life-threatening complication of sickle cell anemia causes
      chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing. Acute chest syndrome is similar to
      pneumonia, but is caused by a lung infection or trapped sickle cells in the blood vessels
      of your lungs. It requires emergency medical treatment with antibiotics, blood
      transfusions and drugs that open up airways in your lungs. Recurrent attacks can
      damage your lungs.

    - Organ damage. Sickle cells can block blood flow through blood vessels, immediately
      depriving an organ of blood and oxygen. In sickle cell anemia, blood is also chronically
      low on oxygen. Chronic deprivation of oxygen-rich blood can damage nerves and organs
      in your body, including your kidneys, liver and spleen. Organ damage can be fatal.

    - Blindness. Tiny blood vessels that supply your eyes can get plugged with sickle cells.
      Over time, this can damage the retina - the portion of each eye that processes visual
      images - and lead to blindness.

    - Other complications. Sickle cell anemia can cause open sores, called ulcers, on your
      legs. Sickle cells can block blood vessels that nourish your skin, causing skin cells to die.
      Once skin is damaged, sores can develop.

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Gallstones also are a possible complication. The breakdown of red blood cells produces a substance called bilirubin. Bilirubin is responsible for yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) in people with sickle cell anemia. A high level of bilirubin in your body can also lead to gallstones.

Men with sickle cell anemia may experience painful erections, a condition called priapism. Sickle cells can prevent blood flow out of an erect penis. Over time, priapism can damage the penis and lead to impotence in men with sickle cell anemia.

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