A practical guide to the evaluation and treatment of hemophilia.

D ESPITE CONSIDERABLE advances in the treatment of hemophilia, clinical expertise in hemophilia care is often concentrated within hemophilia treatment centers. These centers directly and indirectly care for most patients with hemophilia, and provide sophisticated services to this patient population. Much as bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and transfusion medicine have earned a special niche in hematology as sub-subspecialties of the discipline of hematology, hemophilia care is often categorized similarly. Despite the centralization of hemophilia care, hematologists are often called on to deal with the emergency treatment of hemophilia and with the routine aspects of hemophilia treatment. Furthermore, understanding of the treatment of hemophilia is an integral component of hematology training. This review should be construed as a guide to current management issues in hemophilia treatment, to provide all hematologists with a basic foundation in this field.