Sickle Cell Disease

Surgery

There is no surgical cure for sickle cell disease.

Some sickle cell disease complications are treated by surgery. These surgeries involve:

• Removing the spleen (splenectomy), to prevent the trapping of too many red blood cells in the spleen (splenic sequestration).
• Removing the gallbladder (cholecystectomy), to prevent problems caused by gallstones.
• Draining fluid from the penis in cases of severe priapism.
• Hip replacement, if the tissue in the hip breaks down and dies because it doesn't get enough blood (osteonecrosis).

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Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: January 19, 2007
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Martin Steinberg, MD - Hematology
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