Polycythemia vera: Essential management protocols

Primary polycythemia [polycythemia vera] is a hematopoeitic stem cell disorder giving rise to proliferation of a clone of hematopoietic precursors leading to an excess production of erythrocytes with thrombocytosis and leukocytosis

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The optimum management of polycythemia vera remains elusive. Patients requiring surgery are at increased risk of both perioperative thrombosis and hemorrhage

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On one hand, thrombosis can lead to multi organ ischemia and infarction while on the other, bleeding diathesis can lead to profuse perioperative hemorrhage; both posing considerable risk to the patient's health and stress to the anesthesiologist concerned directly with perioperative management of the patient

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Hence, management guidelines for polycythemia vera needs to be clearly understood and tailored to each patient individually and appropriate management protocols need to be de Ned accordingly