A 6-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department afte…
A 6-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department after minor trauma to his knee. The parents report prolonged bleeding after circumcision in infancy and frequent large bruises with minimal injury. Laboratory evaluation reveals normal platelet count and normal bleeding time, but markedly prolonged clotting time. Further testing confirms severe factor VIII deficiency.Which statement best explains the pathophysiologic basis of this child’s bleeding disorder?