Introduction

Treatment of patients with Haemophilia A has improved significantly in recent years since the advent of novel therapeutic agents such as emicizumab. The low annualised bleeding rates associated with emicizumab have liberated many patients from the need for central venous access devices (CVAD). Optimal peri-operative management of CVAD removal is not currently known and there are no specific formal recommendations available.

Aim

We reviewed outcomes in a paediatric cohort in our centre undergoing CVAD removal without pre-operative factor or bypassing agent and reviewed the literature regarding port removal in patients on Emicizumab.

Methods

Ten male patients with severe Haemophilia A underwent CVAD removal without planned administration of factor concentrate or bypassing agent. Patients were monitored in hospital for 24 h with routine laboratory testing pre- and post-operatively.

Results

No significant bleeding episodes occurred in any patient, no patient required factor concentrate or bypassing agent and no patients were readmitted due to bleeding within 7 days of surgery.

Conclusion

We propose that, in the era of emicizumab, prophylactic factor administration pre-operatively for elective CVAD removal is not required in the majority of cases.