What Is Bloodless Medicine?

Bloodless medicine and surgery refer to treating a patient’s surgical needs without resorting to the use of banked blood. In other words, a patient undergoing a procedure with bloodless medicine will not have any type of blood transfusion. There are many reasons that a patient may not be a good candidate for a blood transfusion, such as medical, personal, or religious grounds. Bloodless medicine performs the same procedures as regular medicine and is safely performed in many hospitals.

What Types of Conditions Does Bloodless Medicine Treat?

Bloodless healthcare is available for many different types of procedures and surgeries and can be performed on both children and adults. Some of the areas where bloodless medicine can be sued include:

• Oncology (cancer surgeries)
• Cardiology and cardiac surgery
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Neurosurgery (brain surgeries)
• Orthopedic surgery
• Pediatric procedures
• Urology
• Vascular surgery (artery, vein, and circulation)
• Thoracic surgery (chest; heart, lungs, and esophagus)
• Plastic surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Hematology (blood disorders, leukemia)
• Internal medicine
• Otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat)

Doctors and surgeons trained in bloodless medicine have specific procedures they follow for each type of condition. The common ground is that no banked blood is used.

Are There Benefits to Bloodless Medicine?

While oftentimes the choice for bloodless medicine is a personal one, it has many benefits for those who choose to use it. According to Johns Hopkins, patients who opt out of blood transfusions have a faster recovery time, fewer infections, and shorter hospital stays.

What Are the Risks of Blood Transfusions?

Some patients worry about the risk of receiving a blood transfusion. While rare, there are risks to having blood transfusions, as well as unwanted side effects. Risks of blood transfusions include:

• Risk of transmission of bloodborne diseases, such as:
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Malaria 
• Syphilis
• HIV
• Parasites
• Increased risk of hospital-acquired infection
• Temporary immune system suppression 

All bloodless medicine approaches have been fully approved by theFDA and are not in an experimental stage.

What Are Some Blood Management Techniques?

In order to provide bloodless medicine treatment, there are certain techniques doctors use when it comes to blood management techniques and strategies. Some of these include:

• Hemodilution. During this procedure, the surgeon will remove some blood before the patient prior to surgery, replacing the volume with intravenous fluids. When the surgery is over, the blood is returned to the patient.
• Preoperative correction of anemia. Some patients undergoing surgery have the condition of anemia. Prior to surgery, your care team will try to treat the root cause of the anemia while also supplementing you with medications, vitamins, and iron.
• Thrombin and adhesives. These help with blood clotting, which helps to reduce bleeding after surgery.
• Meticulous surgical techniques. Often, surgeons will use smaller instruments during bloodless medicine to reduce the risk of blood loss.
• Intraoperative blood cell recovery and reinfusion. This procedure captures any of the patient’s blood during surgery. It is then cleaned, and the blood returned to the patient.

It fully depends on what type of treatment or surgery you’re receiving if any of the above blood management techniques would be an optimal choice, however, often preparing for bloodless surgery requires much of the same general preparation.

How Do I Prepare for Bloodless Medicine or Surgery?

Your surgeon will go over specific instructions with you when it comes to preparing for your surgery, such as fasting, etc. Then, you will both discuss the least invasive approach for your procedure or surgery, to minimize any chance of blood loss. Sometimes more than one of the above management procedures are used, such as the microsampling of blood and hemodilution. Doctors will recommend specific vitamins and supplements in most patients prior to surgery. These supplements boost red blood cells, which can help the body handle blood efficiently.

What Happens During Bloodless Medicine or Surgery?

Every procedure and surgery is different, however, surgeons and physicians always choose the most minimally invasive instruments and techniques. Some methods used during surgery include:

• Electrocautery or the argon beam coagulator. Both of these can close bleeding vessels.
• Harmonic scalpel. This tool cuts tissues in a way that allows them to clot immediately.
• Hemostatics. These are products designed to stop bleeding and can be used prior to surgery, during, and afterward.
• Noninvasive continuous hemoglobin monitor. This device measures hemoglobin without taking a blood sample. This requires less blood to be taken from the patient.
• Specialized anesthesia. This can help lower blood pressure during a procedure.

If you have questions about any of these measures, be sure to talk with your gastroenterologist or surgeon prior to your procedure. On the day of your surgery, you will go over the details before having the procedure.

What Happens After Bloodless Medicine or Surgery?

It’s important to continue to monitor blood loss after surgery, as it is a common post-procedural problem. You may be given medications that stimulate your red blood cell count after surgery, and your doctor may use microsampling techniques, which only draw a small amount of blood. The noninvasive hemoglobin monitor can also be used to monitor your levels post-surgery without having to draw any blood sample at all.