Severe Haemolytic Anaemia Resulting from a Malpositioned Haemodialysis Catheter

Severe haemolytic anaemia is a rare complication of haemodialysis that is often difficult to recognize, especially when there are other potential differential diagnoses. Here, we present the case of 19-year-old man on haemodialysis who developed severe haemolytic anaemia while recovering from acute renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis. Other causes of haemolytic anaemia such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and haemolytic uraemic syndrome were ruled out. As his blood counts were dropping on days following haemodialysis, haemolysis secondary to the mechanical sheering effect of the catheter was considered and his haemodialysis catheter was exchanged, which led to the resolution of anaemia.