HHT clinic (Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia)
Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), is a rare condition, affecting both children and adults. HHT is a congenital disorder, involving the growth of abnormal blood vessels (arteriovenous malformations or AVMs) in almost any organ in the body.
Children with this disorder frequently (but not always) have abnormal blood vessels in their nose, leading to nose bleeds (epistaxis), or in the skin, forming small red “blood” spots (telangiectasia).
The major clinical concerns, however, are that these abnormal blood vessels can form in the lungs, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. These AVMs can weaken and rupture, causing bleeding into the lung (coughing up blood), gastrointestinal tract (vomiting blood, or blood in stool) and into the head (causing stroke).
These complications are rare, and the vast majority of these children have no symptoms, but are referred to the clinic because of a family history (another member of the family already identified with this disorder).
We are the major paediatric HHT clinic in Canada, working in collaboration with the adult HHT clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital, under the direction of Dr. Marie Faughnan, to identify adults and children with HHT, and prevent the consequences of these abnormal blood vessels.
Patients must be referred by a Physician or Surgeon.
How to make a referral
- Send your referral via ARMs, our online Ambulatory Referral Management system or fax a completed referral form (available in PDF format)
- View the clinical directory for fax numbers.
- Learn more about the ARM system.
Useful websites for information on HHT:
- HHT International Foundation / Osler-Weber-Rendu
- Toronto HHT Centre
- St. Michael's Hospital HHT Centre - Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Adult Care)
If you have any further questions or concerns please call the office of Respiratory Medicine at 416-813-5826.