Cardiopulmonary Bypass in the Sickle Cell Anemia Patient using Profound Hypothermia and Circulatory Arrest: A Case Report

A homozygous sickle cell anemia patient undergoing a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy required the use of profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest. Reports of sickling crises have been documented under conditions of hypoxemia, acidosis, hypothermia, hypovolemia, and blood trauma. This patient's management included preoperative and intraoperative exchange transfusion, increased blood flow rates and optimizing blood gas values to prevent the sickling environment. The pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery was successful in reducing pulmonary hypertension in this sickle cell patient. Using these techniques, no adverse sickling effects resulted from the profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest.