What is Sickle cell anemia???

The cells are shaped like a crescent or sickle. They don't last as long as normal, round red blood cells, which leads to anemia. 

The sickle cells also get stuck in blood vessels, blocking blood flow. This can cause pain and organ damage.(Medline plus, Jan.11 2011)

Sometimes these red blood cells become sickle-shaped (crescent shaped) and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels.(SCDAA,  2005)

When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can reach that part of the body. Tissue that does not receive a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. There is currently no universal cure for sickle cell disease. (medicinenet.com, 2011)


For more information:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sicklecellanemia.html

http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/about_scd/index.phtml

http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/about_scd/index.phtml

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9368