Phlebotomy A phlebotomy is a procedure used to remove blood from a person. It is the opposite of a transfusion, which is a way to give blood to a person. Excess iron in a person's body can cause damage to the liver, pancreas, pituitary, joints and heart. As a result of this damage, one can develop cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, impotence, arthritis, and heart failure. Therefore, removing the excess iron as soon as possible is critical.
People can lose small amounts of iron by simply taking half an aspirin a day.
But for those with serious iron overload, the phlebotomy is necessary because it removes about 250 milligrams of iron with each treatment. When iron stores are high, swift action to remove the excess is critical. A doctor's prescription or an order is needed to obtain the phlebotomies. Hemoglobin is made up of heme which is the iron containing red part of the blood cell and globin which is a protein in the same red blood cell. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to the body's tissues and carbon dioxide away from those same tissues.