Sickle Cell Disease, Severe Acidosis, and Inhalation Injury

Smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning are a significant cause of mortality and neurologic morbidity. We present the unusual case of complete neurologic survival after prolonged hypoxia, severe acidosis, out of hospital cardiac arrest, and exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning in a patient with sickle cell disease. The hypothesis that there might be a potential protective effect from the type of hemoglobin seen in patients with sickle cell disease in carbon monoxide poisoning is discussed.