Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy during Pregnancy for Critical Anemia Secondary to Sickle Cell Disease with Post-Transfusion Hyperhemolysis: A Case Report

Shawn Khan; Connor T A Brenna; Jacob Pendergrast; A Kinga Malinowski; Marcus Salvatori; Rita Katznelson; Jordan Tarshis

doi:10.3390/hematolrep16030053

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy during Pregnancy for Critical Anemia Secondary to Sickle Cell Disease with Post-Transfusion Hyperhemolysis: A Case Report

Hematol Rep. 2024 Aug 30;16(3):552-558. doi: 10.3390/hematolrep16030053.

Authors

Shawn Khan¹, Connor T A Brenna^{1

2}, Jacob Pendergrast^{1

3}, A Kinga Malinowski^{1

4}, Marcus Salvatori^{1

2

5

6}, Rita Katznelson^{1

2

5

6}, Jordan Tarshis^{1

2

7}

Affiliations

¹ Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
² Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A8, Canada.
³ Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1E2, Canada.
⁵ Department of Anesthesia, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
⁶ Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
⁷ Department of Anesthesia, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell disease is the most common human monogenetic disease, and its risks are amplified during pregnancy. Methods: This report describes a 35-year-old woman with HgbSS sickle cell disease who developed hyperhemolysis syndrome after undergoing an exchange transfusion during pregnancy. Results: In addition to conventional medical treatment, the patient received prepartum hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), totaling 17 treatments for the indication of severe anemia. She experienced significant clinical improvement while undergoing HBOT and ultimately delivered a healthy preterm infant by cesarean section. Conclusions: The risks, benefits, and challenges of using HBOT in this unique context are discussed.

Keywords: HBOT; hyperbaric oxygen therapy; hyperhemolysis syndrome; pregnancy; sickle cell disease.

Publication types

Case Reports

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.