Medication
Medication Summary
The only medication routinely used in the treatment of symptomatic hereditary elliptocytosis is folic acid. If not already given, patients undergoing splenectomy require the pneumococcal vaccine (nonconjugated as well as conjugated), meningococcal vaccine, and H influenzae vaccine before the procedure. They may also require prophylactic antibiotics after removal of the spleen. Details of presplenectomy and postsplenectomy care are beyond the scope of this article. Consult age-appropriate recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Vitamins
Class Summary
Vitamins are essential for normal DNA synthesis and are consumed during times of increased RBC turnover.
Folic acid (Folvite)
Folic acid is an important cofactor for enzymes used in the production of RBCs.
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Media Gallery
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Cigar-shaped erythrocytes seen in hereditary elliptocytosis. Courtesy of Jean A. Shafer, BS, MA, Assistant Professor of Hematology and Pathology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
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Schematic diagram of the components of the RBC membrane. Hereditary elliptocytosis can result from defects of alpha or beta spectrin or from a defective spectrin-actin-protein 4.1R junctional complex.
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Bizarre RBC morphology seen in hereditary pyropoikilocytosis. Courtesy of Jean A. Shafer, BS, MA, Assistant Professor of Hematology and Pathology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
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