Hereditary spherocytosis historical perspective

The hereditary spherocytosis was first described in 1871 by Vanlair and Masius, where they described chronically icteric patients who had no bile in the urine, no evidence of liver disease and often splenomegaly and family history of jaundice. It is the commonest cause of inherited chronic hemolysis in the northern europe and north america.

• Hereditary spherocytosis was first described in 1871 by Vanlair and Masius, where they described chronically icteric patients who had no bile in the urine, no evidence of liver disease and often splenomegaly and family history of jaundice.^[1]
• It is the commonest cause of inherited chronic hemolysis in the northern europe and north america.^[2]
• With remarkable discernment, Vanlair and Masius stated, ‘The jaundice of our patient appears to be a peculiar type of icterus. The fact that the patient’s mother and sister had a slight jaundice and that the sister had an enlarged spleen may indicate that this condition is one disease entity.’.^[3]

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