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Review
. 2015 Oct 20;7(10):e358.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.358.

Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Sickle Cell Disease: A Review

Raju Vaishya  1 , Amit Kumar Agarwal  1 , Edwin O Edomwonyi  2 , Vipul Vijay  1
Affiliations
Review

Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Sickle Cell Disease: A Review

Raju Vaishya et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder of abnormal haemoglobin commonly encountered in the West African sub-region. It has varied osteoarticular and non-osseous complications that mimic some surgical conditions. The most common orthopaedic complications include avascular necrosis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, etc. A cautious and painstaking evaluation is required in handling these patients. Acute care and anaesthetic precautions are vital in ensuring an uneventful postoperative period.

Keywords: avascular necrosis; orthopaedic complications; sickle cell disease; surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Global prevalence of sickle cell disease.[Orange: 0.1-0.99, White: 1- 9.9, Grey: 10- > 19 Births with pathological Hb disorder per 1000 live birth]
Figure 2
Figure 2. Pathophysiology of sickle cell disease
Figure 3
Figure 3. X-ray pelvis anteroposterior view showing avascular necrosis of the head of the femur
Figure 4
Figure 4. X-ray right shoulder anteroposterior view showing avascular necrosis of the head of the humerus
Figure 5
Figure 5. MRI of the knee showing multiple infarcts
Figure 6
Figure 6. X-ray pelvis anteroposterior (AP) view showing retardation in growth of the proximal femur
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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