Sickle Cell Care

Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells — which are normally round like donuts — to change shape. The new shape looks like a C-shaped tool called a sickle.

Sickle cells die easier than healthy red blood cells. This can lead to a shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in the body.

In addition, sickle cells can get caught on other red blood cells or in the lining of blood vessels. A build-up of these cells can cause blockages, leading to intense pain or other serious conditions such as heart attack or stroke.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. This means sickle cell disease is passed to children by their parents. Sickle cell disease is only passed to children when both parents have the genetic trait for sickle cell — even if neither parent has the disease.

Sickle Cell Crisis

A sickle cell crisis is a period of pain caused or worsened by lowered oxygen levels. A sickle cell crisis is more likely to occur during exercise or when your body’s oxygen levels drop while fighting an infection.

At Baptist Health, we focus on finding the right care quickly during a sickle cell crisis so you can get back to doing the things you love.

There is no cure for most people with sickle cell disease. But, there are treatments to relieve symptoms and prevent complications. We offer every available sickle cell treatment option, including:

• Medications. These include pain relievers, antibiotics, iron-lowering medications and monoclonal antibodies (proteins that help fight germs) used to reduce or prevent sickle cell crises. Some sickle cell medications are delivered via an intravenous infusion. At Baptist Health, we offer convenient, on-site infusion therapy.
• Blood transfusions. In some cases, a blood transfusion may be necessary to replace damaged red blood cells. · Bone marrow transplant (BMT). Bone marrow makes blood cells. A BMT for sickle cell disease replaces faulty bone marrow with healthy marrow to encourage healthy blood cell production. A BMT is a potential cure for some individuals with sickle cell disease.
• CRISPR gene-editing. This new treatment, used in conjunction with a BMT, introduces fetal red blood cells into the body. Fetal red blood cells reproduce and replace red blood cells lost to sickle cell disease.

If you have sickle cell disease, you know how challenging it can be to manage pain. At Baptist Health, we want to simplify sickle cell pain management. That’s why we work with you to create an individualized care plan that follows you to other care locations, like the emergency department. Your care plan ensures you get safe and effective pain management without any hassle, no matter where you go for care.