ABSTRACT

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are high-risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality. The establishment of guidelines in the management of cholecystectomy, one of the most common surgical procedures in the sickle cell population, will form the basis for streamlining care, nationally. The guidelines were established based on current literature on perioperative care of the sickle cell patient, taking into account local and regional data. The team included general surgeons, anaesthetists, internists specializing in SCD and pulmonologists. Areas of particular focus include patient selection, preoperative transfusion, oxygenation/ventilation, infection control, thromboprophylaxis and postoperative pain control.