Stroke in a Patient with Sickle Cell Anemia

Stroke in patients with sickle cell anemia is multifactorial but occurs mainly by 2 mechanisms: occlusive arteriopathy and obliteration of small vessels with plugs of sickle cells. The high individual risk can be assessed by simple and well-defined strategies such as ultrasounds with transcranial and cervical Doppler Ultrasonography. The authors report the clinical case of a 25 year-old black female patient with sickle cell anemia, who was admitted with right hemiparesis. Cerebral MRI showed small recent fronto-temporo-parietal cortical-subcortical infarcts and several, older, posterior periventricular lacunae of left preponderance. A brief discussion is made, with particular emphasis on the proper treatment and prevention of its cerebrovascular complications