This is an incidental finding in a patient with a ball-cage prosthetic valve for a remote history of refractory endocarditis.Challenge: Why this finding?
Related Questions:
1. What do you see on the smear?
Image shown under fair use.
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3 comments:
hemolytic anemia, schistocytes
schistocytes 2/2 the valve. sort of like MAHA
yes sort of like mahahaha :)
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Blender
The smear shows schistocytes. Hemolytic anemia from mechanical damage can be seen with leaky prosthetic heart valves due to rapid acceleration and deceleration of the regurgitant jet and/or high peak shear rates. Hemolysis is most often mild and subclinical. Treatment is oral iron, blood transfusion, or reoperation.
Sources: UpToDate; picasaweb.google.com/mcmumbi.
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