Translate
What is thrombosis?
Thrombosis refers to the formation of a blood clot inside a vein. Every year, thousands of people in the UK develop thrombosis inside one of their blood vessels.
Blood clotting is a natural process that prevents excessing bleeding, but blood clots that do not form in response to injury can sometimes lead to life-threatening conditions, like pulmonary embolism, by blocking the body’s natural pathways.
These conditions are especially common in situations where there is limited movement, which is why long-distance travellers are increasingly warned of conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Our thrombosis clinics
The Royal Free Hospital operates three thrombophilia clinics for investigation and management of patients with complications related to thrombosis.
We also run a separate high-risk antenatal clinic at the hospital for pregnant women who are at high risk of complications from thrombosis or blood clots during pregnancy, and in the period closely following the birth of a child. Click the links below to find out more.
Nurse-led anticoagulant therapy
Our dedicated team of anticoagulation nurses is responsible for relieving blood clots and other blood disorders related to thrombosis, by administering anticoagulant drugs and therapy.
Our services include:
- An anticoagulant monitoring clinic, using point of care testing.
- An ambulatory DVT service (day clinic for outpatients), managing patients referred directly from the emergency department to avoid hospital admission for DVT.
- Pre-operative consultations, to ensure our patients’ anticoagulant therapy is managed safely and they are prepared for surgery.
- Support for patients wishing to self-administer anticoagulant drugs. Training, quality assurance and clinical advice are given.
- The initiation of new treatments, like novel direct oral anticoagulants, within north central London guidelines.
