Bleeding disorders
Care for bleeding disorders
Our compassionate team at the Comprehensive Hemophilia and Thrombosis Program is dedicated to protecting your health and easing your worries, enabling you to focus on what truly matters.
We specialize in treating various bleeding disorders, including inherited conditions like hemophilia, von Willebrand disease (VWD), and platelet disorders. We take a comprehensive approach, ensuring you receive the best possible care tailored to your unique needs.
Choosing Penn Medicine for bleeding disorder care
- Expertise: Our hematologists are leaders in the field, supported by experienced nurses who understand the complexities of bleeding disorders.
- National recognition: As a CDC-designated center for hemophilia care, we utilize the latest evidence to improve and offer comprehensive services for all bleeding disorders.
- Complete care: We provide all necessary services, including physical therapy, orthopedic care, and access to social workers for additional support, such as mental health and transportation.
- Dedicated services for women: Our Center for Women’s Thrombosis and Hemostasis offers evaluations for heavy periods and recurrent miscarriages, as well as family planning assistance.
- Support for teens and young adults: We facilitate a smooth transition for younger patients moving to adult care, often collaborating with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
- Flexibility: Whether you need ongoing care or a second opinion, we’re here to help. We can evaluate your treatment plan and offer options tailored to your needs.
- Innovation: We actively contribute to developing new therapies, including gene therapy, to enhance treatment outcomes for hemophilia and related disorders.
Comprehensive care for bleeding disorders
We recommend regular reevaluations for inherited bleeding disorders:
- Mild cases: Every 1–2 years.
- Severe cases: Every 6–12 months.
Notify us if planning surgeries to discuss precautions. During follow-ups, we assess your condition, overall health, and any new medical needs. While the disorder itself doesn’t change, other health conditions may affect care. Visits often include seeing a hematologist, nurse, physical therapist, social worker, and research coordinator.
- Mild cases: No ongoing treatment is needed, but precautions are required for procedures.
- Severe cases: Preventive medication to avoid bleeding and protect muscles, organs, and joints.
- Treatments are tailored to the specific disorder and may involve self-administered medication.
For acquired bleeding disorders, we address the underlying cause or adjust medications.
- Factor replacement: Lab-made or donor blood clotting factors via injection.
- Non-factor replacement: Alternative methods to prevent or stop bleeding.
Gene therapy offers long-term solutions for hemophilia by enabling the body to produce missing clotting factors. The first approved therapy treats hemophilia B, with more under development. A single dose could potentially reduce symptoms, lessen treatment frequency, or even lead to a cure.
Treatments depend on the type and severity, including:
- Desmopressin (nasal spray/injection)
- Factor replacement therapy
- Antifibrinolytic drugs
- Hormonal contraception for heavy menstrual bleeding
Treatment depends on the missing or defective factor and may involve:
- Factor replacement therapy
- Plasma transfusions
- Medications to stabilize clots
- Platelet Function Disorders
Care includes addressing the cause of acquired disorders or using medications and platelet transfusions for inherited cases, especially before procedures.
Conditions we treat
- Platelet function disorder
Our doctors
Our providers work with you to plan and deliver exceptional treatment and personalized care.
Locations
Our hospitals, multispecialty medical centers, pharmacies, labs and more offer outstanding, personalized care for patients all across the region.
Related articles
Gene therapy is potentially life-changing for hemophilia B
Adults with hemophilia B saw their number of bleeding episodes drop by an average of 71 percent after a single infusion of gene therapy.
Patient stories
A lifetime of worry eased with one infusion
After receiving gene therapy for hemophilia, a disease Curt Krouse had lived with for 57 years, his “life changed in 30 minutes.”