Sickle Cell Disease Complications

Complications of sickle cell disease include:

• anemia
• jaundice
• gallstones
• lung tissue damage (acute chest syndrome)
• painful episodes
• stroke
  Some of the strokes are said to be "silent" meaning that they are usually undiagnosed, but may cause permanent brain damage or learning disability.
• organ damage, including spleen, kidneys and liver
  Damage to the spleen makes sickle cell disease patients, especially young children, vulnerable to overwhelming infections by certain bacteria.