This document discusses the medical procedure of venesection, which involves removing blood from the circulatory system through puncturing a vein, usually in the arm. It describes how venesection is used to treat certain blood disorders like hemochromatosis, polycythemia, and porphyria cutanea tarda that can cause health issues if iron or red blood cell levels are too high. The document provides details on how venesection is performed, what patients should do before and after the procedure, and what effects they can expect.

1. PRESENTATION OF EASTERN MEDICINE

2. TOPIC……
VENESECTION

3. VENESECTION:
• VENESECTION IS REMOVING BLOOD FROM ONE’S BLOOD CIRCULATION, USUALLY
THROUGH A PUNCTURE IN THE ARM, FOR BLOOD ANALYSIS OR TREATMENT FOR
CERTAIN BLOOD DISORDERS. THE AIMS OF THE TREATMENT ARE TO DECREASE
IRON IN THE BLOOD OR DECREASE RED BLOOD CELLS.
• HAEMOCHROMATOSIS, POLYCYTHEMIA AND PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA ARE 3
DISORDERS WHICH REQUIRE THE TREATMENT OF VENESECTION.

4. • HAEMOCHROMATOSIS
HAEMOCHROMATOSIS IS CAUSED BY GENETIC DISORDERS OR FROM A VARIETY OF
FACTORS INCLUDING ALCOHOLISM. IN THIS DISORDER, EXCESS IRON IS ABSORBED
INTO THE BODY FROM THE DIET – OVER AND ABOVE THE BODY’S NEEDS. OVER
TIME, IRON DEPOSITS BUILD UP IN THE BODY TISSUES: HEART, LIVER, PANCREAS,
PITUITARY GLAND AND JOINTS. THIS LEADS TO LIVER SCARRING (CIRRHOSIS),
LIVER CANCER, ARTHRITIS, EARLY MENOPAUSE, LOSS OF LIBIDO, IMPOTENCE,
HEART PROBLEMS SUCBY GIVING BLOOD (AND HENCE REDUCES THE IRON LOAD)
THROUGH VENESECTION, IS ONE OF THE ESTABLISHED WAYS TO PREVENT THE
POTENTIAL DAMAGE THAT IS DONE TO ORGANS AND JOINTS THROUGHOUT THE
YEARS.H AS HEART FAILURE.

5. BY GIVING BLOOD (AND HENCE REDUCES THE IRON
LOAD) THROUGH VENESECTION, IS ONE OF THE
ESTABLISHED WAYS TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL
DAMAGE THAT IS DONE TO ORGANS AND JOINTS
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

7. POLYCYTHEMIA
• POLYCYTHEMIA
• POLYCYTHEMIA IS A BLOOD DISORDER WHERE THE BODY MAKES TOO MANY RED
BLOOD CELLS. THICKENING OF THE BLOOD CELLS, INCREASES THE CHANCE OF
BLOOD CLOTS FORMING. THIS CAN LEAD TO STROKES, HEART ATTACKS OR
CLOTS IN THE LUNGS (PULMONARY EMBOLISM).
• VENESECTION, IN THIS INSTANCE, IS USED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BLOOD
CELLS BY DECREASING THE BLOOD VOLUME. TREATMENT IS CONTINUED UNTIL
THE CONCENTRATION OF BLOOD CELLS IN BLOOD (HAEMATOCRIT) REACHES A
NORMAL LEVEL.

8. POLYCYTHEMIA

10. PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA
• PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA
• IT IS A METABOLIC DISEASE THAT INVOLVES A LIGHT SENSITIVE CHEMICAL BEING
DEPOSITED IN THE SKIN, LEADING TO SKIN AND TISSUE DAMAGE.
• THE CONDITION IS CAUSED BY DEFICIENCY OF AN ENZYME, WHICH FORMS THE
LIGHT SENSITIVE CHEMICAL. ITS FORMATION IS DEPENDENT ON IRON IN THE
LIVER, HENCE THE THERAPEUTIC NEED TO REDUCE IRON LOAD IN THE LIVER.
• VENESECTION IS PERFORMED REGULARLY WITH THE AIM OF REDUCING BLOOD
IRON LEVEL TO THE LOWER LIMIT OF NORMAL.

11. ASSESSMENT
• ASSESSMENT
• AT OUR CLINICS AT TOP HEALTH DOCTORS, WE TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE
HISTORY AND ASSESS YOU AND REVIEW YOUR BLOOD TESTS IN YOUR FIRST
VISIT. WE SHALL EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW IT IS
BEING DONE.
• VENESECTION IS PERFORMED IN YOUR SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT VISITS, IF
CLINICALLY INDICATED.

12. PREPARATION FOR VENESECTION
•
• CONTINUE TAKING YOUR MEDICATION AS USUAL, UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE
BY YOUR DOCTOR.
• DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS THE DAY BEFORE, ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER.
HAVE AT LEAST 2 LARGE GLASSES OF WATER BEFORE THE PROCEDURE.
• EAT SOMETHING SALTY IN THE 24 HOURS PRIOR. INCREASING YOUR SALT
INTAKE WILL HELP YOU RESTORE YOUR BLOOD VOLUME MORE RAPIDLY AFTER
YOUR VENESECTION.

15. DURING THE PROCEDURE OF VENESECTION
•
• YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS WILL BE TAKEN BEFORE AND
AFTER THE PROCEDURE IS PERFORMED.
• YOU WILL BE LYING DOWN FOR THE PROCEDURE.
• YOU MAY FEEL A SLIGHT PINCHING WHEN THE NEEDLE IS INSERTED (USUALLY IN YOUR
ARM), BUT OTHERWISE YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL ANY DISCOMFORT.
• IT GENERALLY TAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO DRAIN 450 MLS OF BLOOD.

16. • AFTER YOUR PROCEDUR
• YOU SHOULD DRINK FLUIDS DURING THIS TIME AND HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT
WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR TO ENSURE A QUICK RECOVERY.
• AVOID DRINKING ALCOHOL FOR AT LEAST 8 HOURS.
• LEAVE THE BANDAGE ON FOR SEVERAL HOURS.
• AVOID STRENUOUS EXERCISE AND HEAVY LIFTING FOR 24 HOURS.

17. • WHAT TO EXPECT
•
• THE PROCEDURE IS SAFE AND WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS (IN MOST CASES).
• IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PROCEDURE YOU MAY FEEL DIZZY. THIS CAN BE
MINIMISED BY RESTING AND DRINKING FLUIDS.
• YOU MAY FEEL A LITTLE LETHARGIC FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
• YOU CAN RESUME ALL YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES AFTER THE PROCEDURE.
• THE FREQUENCY OF THE VENESECTION TREATMENTS IS DIFFERENT FOR
EVERYONE AND IS PERFORMED ACCORDING TO ONE’S CONDITION. AT FIRST
YOU MAY REQUIRE UP TO WEEKLY VENESECTIONS. WHEN YOUR BLOOD LEVELS
ARE UNDER CONTROL YOU MAY ONLY REQUIRE THE VENESECTION AT REGULAR
LONGER INTERVALS.