Practice Information
Venesection procedures
Venesection (also called therapeutic blood removal or therapeutic phlebotomy) is a procedure where a small amount of blood is removed from your vein, similar to a blood donation. This helps lower the number of red blood cells or iron in your body. At the San GP Centre at Wahroonga our doctors and staff have expertise in venesection procedures and can provide advice on this and any other medical issues as required.
Venesection is commonly used to manage the following health conditions:
- Haemochromatosis (too much iron in the body)
- Polycythaemia vera (too many red blood cells)
- Other conditions where blood removal improves health.
It helps to:
- Reduce iron levels
- Improve blood flow by thinning the blood
- Prevent long-term complications such as liver damage, heart problems, or blood clots.