Guide To Diagnosing And Treating Christmas Disease (Hemophilia B)

Preventative Blood Transfusions

Preventative blood transfusions may be utilized as a part of a patient's treatment for their hemophilia B. Preventative blood transfusions are typically only needed in patients who have a severe degree of hemophilia B. The purpose of this preventative treatment method is to keep bleeding from occurring. This type of treatment may be referred to as prophylactic therapy and has proven to be effective at decreasing complications caused by recurrent bleeds. These complications may include intracranial hemorrhage and joint damage. Joint damage, in particular, is taken into consideration when a patient chooses to have prophylactic treatment because joint damage progressively worsens over their life even if they do not experience more bleeds in that joint. 

Preventative blood transfusions are utilized in patients who have already had hemophilia-associated joint damage with the goal of minimizing inflammation, pain, and immobility. Depending on circumstances regarding transfusion availability, bleeding triggers, and the number of acceptable joint bleeds, preventative blood transfusions may not be the most ideal method of treatment.