congenital spherocytic anemia…

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red blood cells, red blood cells, spherocytosis, blood cells, hereditary spherocytosis, spherocytosis, congenital spherocytic anemia, the red blood cell membrane that leads to sphere-shaped red blood cells, chronic hemolytic anemia, premature breakdown of red blood cells, disorder, a defective gene, defect results in an abnormal red cell membrane so that the affected cells have a smaller surface area, volume than normal red blood cells, cells, less resistant to stresses, rupture, anemia, in its severity, in severe cases the disorder detected in early childhood, in mild cases it, go unnoticed, later in adult life, common in people of northern european descent but has been found in all races, jaundice, pallor, pale coloring, noted in infants, spleen is enlarged, spleen is removed, life span, the red blood cell returns to normal, a family history of spherocytosis increases the risk, jaundice, pallor, shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, irritability in children, physical examination reveals enlarged spleen, elevated reticulocyte count, blood smear shows spherocytes, complete blood count shows anemia, osmotic fragility, incubated fragility test, coombs' test, direct is negative, coombs' test, indirect is negative, elevated bilirubin, elevated ldh, splenectomy, surgical removal, the spleen, cures the anemia of spherocytosis, the abnormal cell defect persists, red cell life span returns to normal, families, a history of spherocytosis should have children screened, in mild cases discovered in adult life, splenectomy, splenectomy, delayed in children, age of 5, prevent unnecessary infection, pneumococcal immunization, vaccine is given, surgery, folic acid supplementation, given to children, outcome, development of gallstones, pigment derived, destroyed red blood cells, aplastic crises, severe decrease in red blood cell production, a viral infection, symptoms worsen, not improve, new symptoms develop, an inherited disorder, not be preventable, awareness of risk, family history, the disorder, allow early diagnosis, treatment.