Category: Hematology
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Essentials in Hematology and Clinical Pathology (2016)
Essentials in Hematology and Clinical Pathology (2016) is one of the finest hematology books in the market today, and, strangely, you can buy it new for under $30 (US). Hematology is a specialty that straddles both clinical medicine and pathology, and this book is an absolute winner on two separate levels: (1) the clinical discussions…
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Macrocytic Anemia: The Workup
The workup for macrocytic anemia should include some or all the following: Peripheral blood smear Hypersegmented neutrophils and macroovalocytes → B12 or folate deficiency. Pancytopenia → advanced B12 deficiency Target cells → chronic liver disease (anemia and thrombocytopenia are also seen). Pseudo-Pelger-Huët cells → myelodysplastic syndrome. For vitamin B12 deficiency Vitamin B12 levels Methylmalonic acid and…
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D-dimer: Key Points
It can be challenging to make a diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Research has consistently shown that the clinical manifestations of PE are common in patients without PE. Additional diagnostic testing is warranted if PE is a consideration. In recent years, the D–dimer test has played an important role in the evaluation of suspected…
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Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)
Introduction Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) is a very serious and life-threatining coagulation cascade disorder that is sometimes seen in patients with severe physiologic stressors such as sepsis, obstetric complications (for example, placental abruption, retained products of conception, or amniotic fluid embolization) or major tissue injury from trauma, burns, shock, snake bites, or malignancy (for example, acute promyelocytic leukemia).…
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Hematologic Emergencies
White cell disorders Tumor lysis syndrome → allopurinol, hemodialysis Leukostasis (leukemia patient with very high white cell count and neurological changes) → leukophoresis Acute hyperviscosity syndrome (in Waldenström macroglobulinemia) → plasmapheresis Red blood cell disorders Methemoglobinemia → oxygen, methylene blue Sickle cell emergencies: Acute calculous cholecystitis → antibiotics, consider surgical intervention Acute splenic sequestration crisis (shock, LUQ pain, acute…
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Book Review: Haematology, A Core Curriculum
I think that there are two main reasons why a lot of people believe that hematology is a tough subject to master. First, it is essential a microscopic and molecular science. Unlike cardiology or neurology, which have organs-in-chief that can be visualized quite easily in 3-dimensional space, hematology is a science of cells which permeate the entire human body.…