Sickle cell trait: a rare cause of post-operative death in Northern Ireland.

The patient who was a six-year-old negro child of mixed parentage with no recorded previous medical history was admitted for a minor plastic operation. At the time of admission his haemoglobin was 11.5 g. per 100 ml. Neither of the parents, both of whom were medically qualified, were aware of any haematological abnormality. Premedication was administered in the hour before being taken to theatre and consisted of seconal 50 mg per rectum, and morphine 5 mg and atropine 0.6 mg intramuscularly. The anaesthetic which was uneventful was induced with Althesin and maintained with nitrous oxide and oxygen (50/50) and methoxyfluorane (1 %-0.2%). Post-operatively, the child was awake and restless and was sedated with 5 mg of Physeptone. Approximately four hours after completion of the operation the patient suddenly collapsed and resuscitation was unsuccessful.