What is the purpose of venesection?
What is the purpose of venesection?
Venesection is a procedure where a trained nurse or doctor removes approximately 450mls of blood from your circulation. The procedure is the same as for blood donors. Why is a venesection necessary? Venesection is used for the treatment of haematological (blood) conditions such as: Polycythaemia and Haemachromatosis.
When do you need a venesection?
Venesection is needed to bring the ferritin back to normal limits and reduce the risk of long term complications of iron overload. Patients will usually have venesections every two months until their ferritin is back within normal limits, which may take up to 2 years.
What are the indications of phlebotomy?
There are currently three major indications for therapeutic phlebotomy: hemochromatosis, polycythemia vera, and porphyria cutanea tarda. Other indications include sickle cell disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with hyperferritinemia.
When Should therapeutic phlebotomy be indicated?
Therapeutic phlebotomy is indicated for symptomatic patients to prevent complications or those who have already developed end-organ damage, with a serum ferritin greater than 300 μg/L for men or post-menopausal women and greater than 200 μg/L for pregnant females50.
What hemoglobin level requires phlebotomy?
Iron Disorders Institute Advisory Board recommends against phlebotomy (with few exceptions) for patients whose hemoglobin is lower than 12.5g/dL.
What was the purpose of bloodletting?
Bloodletting was the name given to the removal of blood for medical treatment. It was believed to rid the body of impure fluids to cure a host of conditions. Originally, bloodletting involved cutting a vein or artery — typically at the elbow or knee — to remove the affected blood.
What level of ferritin requires phlebotomy?
SORT: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
| Clinical recommendation | Evidence rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Serum ferritin levels should guide phlebotomy frequency, with a goal of 50 to 150 ng per mL (112.35 to 337.05 pmol per L). | C | AASLD and IDI vary* |
When is phlebotomy indicated polycythemia?
All patients with PV should undergo phlebotomy to keep their hematocrit below 45%. Lower hematocrit targets have been proposed for women with PV, but no empiric evidence supports that recommendation. All patients with PV should take aspirin, 81 mg daily, unless contraindicated by major bleeding or gastric intolerance.
What is dangerously high ferritin levels?
Many laboratories consider serum ferritin levels greater than 200 ng/mL in women and greater than 300 ng/mL in men to be abnormal.
