Notice the extremely distorted external appearance of this spleen, with multiple, depressed scars. The normal slate gray appearance of this spleen in visualized in the areas between the depressed scars. Significant reduction of splenic size is common in patients with sickle cell anemia and is referred to auto-amputation. Abnormal cells form occlusive aggregates which result in infarct of the spleen.
Hemolysis also occurs due to repeat deformations of the red cell.
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