- Life threatening complication of haemoglobinopathies
- Get hypersplenism
- Can result in severe pain & anaemia.
- Characterised by acute Hb drop
- RBCs captured in spleen
- Tends to occur in infants with Homozygous HbS, or beta thalassemia
- 10-15% mortality rate
- Fast, often die before transfusions can be given
- Management – transfusion
- Splenectomy to treat and prevent recurrence