Blood can be lifesaving during surgery, however, blood transfusions have a risk associated with their use that should be appreciated.
The practice of surgery where all precautions are taken to avoid or minimize blood transfusions is also called as bloodless surgery. This is gaining attention due to the risks associated with blood transfusions.
Some of the potential risks of blood transfusions are:
- Transmission of viral and other infections:The precautions and safety measures taken to ensure a safe blood supply, has markedly reduced the possibility of transmitting viruses such as HIV and hepatitis through blood transfusions, however, this risk cannot be completely eliminated.
- Allergic reactions: Though uncommon, this may occur.
- Effects on postoperative recovery?: Patients who do not require blood products may recover faster, avoid potential side effects such as fever and allergic reactions and usually have a shorter hospital stay.
- Impact on survival after cancer surgery?: A number of studies have suggested that blood transfusions may have an adverse effect on outcome in patients who undergo surgery for cancer. For example the survival is poorer in patients with colon cancer who require a blood transfusion compared to no transfusion.
Techniques to minimize blood transfusions during surgery
Various alternatives to blood transfusions have been made possible through advances in medical and surgical techniques and technology. Blood loss can be minimized through:
- Performing a careful and meticulous dissection of the body tissues with and control of the blood supply to the tissue structures being removed during surgery.
- Utilizing intraoperative hypotension anesthesia to lower blood pressure during surgery minimizing bleeding.
- Enhancing circulation of the patient’s own blood during surgery by using volume expanders or intravenous fluids.
- Tracking oxygen levels during surgery with skin monitors.
- Speeding blood clotting during surgery with an argon beam coagulator.
- Stimulating bone marrow to produce red blood cells in advance of a procedure.
- Using cell saver during surgery to collect, recirculate and re administer the patient’s own blood.
- Using lasers rather than scalpels.
Bloodless surgeries offered
The Center provides specialized expertise in bloodless surgery for many complex operations in the abdomen such as surgery of the liver, pancreas and the bile duct.
The procedures offered for bloodless surgery are:
- Whipple operation
- Pancreatic surgery
- Bile duct resection
- Liver resections
- Distal pancreatectomy
- Central pancreatectomy
- Surgery for islet cell tumors
- Surgery for endocrine tumors