Thrombosis, Blood Clot & Anticoagulation Specialists in Melbourne
Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms within a vein or artery. Common venous thromboembolic conditions include deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). A clot may be triggered by surgery, immobility, pregnancy, hormone treatment, cancer or another temporary risk factor, while some occur without an obvious trigger. The key questions are why the clot occurred, how long anticoagulant treatment is required and how the future risk of another clot compares with the risk of bleeding from ongoing anticoagulation.
Thrombosis assessment includes confirming the nature and location of the clot, reviewing provoking factors and family history, and looking for conditions that alter risk. In selected patients this may involve thrombophilia testing, a full blood count, assessment for myeloproliferative disorders or antiphospholipid antibodies. Broad cancer screening is not automatically required after every unprovoked clot; the approach is guided by age, symptoms, examination and routine age-appropriate screening.
For people without a confirmed thrombosis, referral may relate to a family history, an abnormal thrombophilia result or planning for pregnancy, hormone therapy or surgery. The interpretation of inherited thrombophilia is nuanced: having a genetic predisposition does not mean a clot is inevitable, and the result should be considered alongside the patient’s personal risk factors.
Long-term prevention may include anticoagulant medication, management of reversible risk factors and a clear plan for high-risk periods such as surgery, prolonged immobility or pregnancy. Patients are also counselled about warning symptoms of recurrent DVT or PE and circumstances in which urgent assessment is needed.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care works with GPs, surgeons, obstetricians and other specialists to provide practical anticoagulation plans. This is especially valuable when a patient has competing clotting and bleeding risks, complex medical comorbidities or needs several teams to follow the same peri-procedural plan.
Many straightforward provoked DVTs and pulmonary emboli can be managed without long-term specialist follow-up. Haematology input can be particularly valuable when:
New chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, coughing blood, collapse, or new one-sided leg swelling and pain that could indicate a DVT or pulmonary embolism require urgent medical assessment rather than waiting for a routine clinic appointment.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care brings together Melbourne specialists with complementary clinical, hospital and research appointments. The clinicians most closely associated with this service include:
Decisions after a blood clot are rarely based on one test alone. Northern Blood & Cancer Care has particular expertise in thrombosis, thrombophilia and anticoagulation, including complex duration-of-treatment decisions, pregnancy-related clotting risk and peri-operative planning where a clear, coordinated anticoagulation plan can be especially valuable.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care brings together a highly experienced team of haematologists, medical oncologists and specialist physicians, with consultations available at Northern Private Hospital in Epping.
Contact our team to arrange an appointment or discuss a referral.
