Nokea
A patient with a history of sickle cell disease presents with severe abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice. Laboratory tests reveal anemia, reticulocytosis, elevated indirect bilirubin, and presence of Howell-Jolly bodies on peripheral blood smear. Which of the following conditions is most likely to cause these findings?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acute splenic sequestration crisis is a complication seen in patients with sickle cell disease characterized by the sudden pooling of sickled red blood cells in the spleen, leading to splenic enlargement, severe anemia, and hypovolemic shock. This pooling results in a rapid drop in hemoglobin levels, causing anemia. The spleen's sequestration of large numbers of red blood cells can cause a sudden rise in the number of immature red blood cells (reticulocytes) in the blood (reticulocytosis). The destruction of these trapped red blood cells in the spleen leads to hemolysis, evidenced by elevated indirect bilirubin levels and the presence of Howell-Jolly bodies (nuclear remnants of erythrocytes) on peripheral blood smear. Patients may present with severe abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, and signs of hemodynamic instability, which