Thrombosis Program
The Thrombosis Program is committed to improving the lives of children who have developed or are at risk of developing a blood clot.
Part of the Division of Haematology/Oncology, the Thrombosis Program is at the forefront of care for children with blood clots, providing state-of-the-art clinical care and conducting innovative research since 1991.
Did you know? Facts about the Thrombosis Program
- Most of the paediatric doses of the anticoagulants currently used to treat blood clots in children were estimated by the Thrombosis Program at SickKids.
- The team in the Thrombosis Program at SickKids conducted and published the two largest studies on limb blood clots in children.
- Two of the three existing tools for diagnosing long-term complications of blood clots in children were developed by the team in the Thrombosis Program at SickKids.
What we do
Clinical
The Thrombosis Program’s clinical team consists of a thrombosis nurse practitioner, who is in charge of the Outpatient Paediatric Anticoagulant Clinic, and five staff physicians devoted to providing care to children with blood clots or at increased risk of developing a clot.
Research
Our research team includes our staff physicians, nurses, research coordinators and research fellows dedicated to the design and delivery of clinical research studies in paediatric thrombosis.
Our Thrombosis Research and Clinical Support (TRaCS) program consists of a team of undergraduate and graduate student volunteers who support the dynamic day-to-day interactions both of our clinical and research initiatives.
Education
Our team has operated an internationally renowned training program on paediatric thrombosis since 2001. Visit the Haematology/Oncology to learn more about the Thrombosis/Haemostasis Subspecialty Fellowship.
Who we are
Physicians
For patients and families
Blood clots help to stop wounds from bleeding, but when they happen in the deep veins of the body they can be harmful. Visit AboutKidsHealth to learn about the signs and causes of blood clots; the complications of blood clots; and the different medical and non-medical treatments that are available for children.
How to take measurements for the assessment of post-thrombotic syndrome
Use these instructions to learn how to measure arm and leg circumference, when instructed by your doctor.
For physicians
CAPTSure© (Clinical Assessment of PTS) is a clinical tool for diagnosis and severity rating of paediatric post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS).
Selected publications on post-thrombotic syndrome and CAPTSure© development
- Avila ML, Duan L, Cipolla A, Kim A, Kahr W, Williams S, Brandão LR. Post-thrombotic Syndrome Following Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis in Children. Blood, 2014 Aug 14; 124 (7): 1166-73.
- Avila ML, Brandão LR, Williams S, Montoya M, Stinson J, Kiss A, Lara-Corrales I, Feldman BM. Post-thrombotic Syndrome in Children: Toward the Development of a New Diagnostic and Evaluative Measurement Tool. Thrombosis Research 2016, 144: 184-91.
- Avila ML, Pullenayegum E, Williams S, Yue N, Krol P, Brandão LR. Post-thrombotic syndrome and other outcomes of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis in children. Blood 2016; 128 (14): 1862-69.
- Avila ML, Brandão LR, Williams S, Montoya M, Stinson J, Kiss A, Feldman BM. Development of CAPTSure, a new index for the assessment of paediatric post-thrombotic syndrome. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Accepted for publication September 19, 2016.
We are looking to recruit dedicated, reliable, and talented, college or university students to join our TRaCS volunteer team. Our volunteers are involved in a variety of research and clinical initiatives taking place in-person at our clinic. This includes working closely with physicians, nurses, patients, and their families in both the outpatient and inpatient clinical settings. Volunteers are expected to have good communication skills and the ability to work well both independently and within a team setting. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn about our ongoing research projects, and be involved with patient recruitment, data collection, and database maintenance, alongside many new skills.
- Availability on Mondays and/or Wednesdays (preferably)
- Commitment to a minimum of 1 shift (approximately 4 hours) per week for a period of six months
- We accept incoming volunteers all year-round
Interesting in applying? Please send an email to info.tracs@sickkids.ca and attach to your email a letter of intent indicating your interest in applying and describing why you are looking to join our team, and an updated resume. Eligible candidates will be invited to an interview to learn about the various clinical and research opportunities available within the TRaCS program.
Contact us
For questions about the Thrombosis Program please call (416) 813-7500 and ask to speak to the Thrombosis Fellow on call.
For questions about research studies or information regarding CAPTSure© please email pts.research@sickkids.ca.