The clinical importance of factor XI deficiency in an Ashkenazi Jewish patient.

Factor XI (PTA) deficiency, a coagulopathy, has been found to be relatively common in Ashkenazi Jews. Clinically it may manifest itself by varying forms of hemorrhage including postoperative bleeding. It is recommended that all Ashkenazi Jews have a partial thromboplastin time (PTT) coagulation test before surgery in order to rule out this coagulopathy, and if the PTT is abnormal a Factor XI assay should be done to confirm the diagnosis and ensure that proper therapy can be provided. A surgical case is presented with its ensuing complications resulting form lack of such information.