Hemochromatosis Treatment by Venipuncture Through History

Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease caused by the mutation of genes responsible for regulating iron metabolism in the body. The mutation results in increased absorption of iron from food, which is then deposited in various organs and tissues. Due to the excessive decomposition of iron, organs, most commonly liver, heart and pancreas are damaged. The standard therapeutic procedure for the treatment of hereditary hemochromatosis is phlebotomy or venipuncture, which removes excess iron from the blood. The therapeutic procedure is carried out until the iron level returns to the reference interval. Ancient, three thousand years old bloodletting skills are still used to this day. It was considered that the bloodletting establishes a good balance of bodily fluids referred to as eucrasia. Venipuncture was used to treat various diseases, with different amount of blood released, from half a liter to two liters, and sometimes even more. Venipuncture was applied not only for the treatment of existing diseases, but also as a preventive measure. To date, the use of therapeutic venipuncture has remained the gold standard for the treatment of hereditary hemochromatosis.The aim of this paper is to present a historical review of venipuncture or phlebotomy as a therapeutic procedure for the treatment of hemochromatosis.