Blood Bank Before Heart Surgery?
November 25th, 2007As you, or the person you care for, prepare for heart surgery, several questions will arise.They may be small questions like, “What should I bring to the hospital?” Or, they may be epic-sized questions, “Should I write or edit my will before my cardiac operation?”
“How does Adam know this?” you might be thinking.
Well, as a double heart valve replacement patient, I kept a journal of the steps and questions leading up to my own surgery. (I write alot more about preparing for heart surgery in my book.)
However, one of the questions I commonly receive is, “Should I deposit my own blood at a blood bank prior to my heart operation?”
There is a simple answer to the question about “blood-banking” prior to surgery.
And…
The answer is…
It depends on you.
There is no right or wrong answer.
Personally, I did not donate blood in advance of my operation. Given all of my due diligence on the Keck School of Medicine at USC and my common blood type, I was comfortable that USC’s blood bank would supply an approriate amount of safe blood if a blood transfusion was required during my aortic valve replacement operation.
[BLOG UPDATE: You should know that I recently reviewed a new study on blood bank safety, which would most likely change this opinion.]
FYI, I did not have a blood transfusion during my cardiac surgery.
However, several other patients I regularly speak with, took the alternative approach – they donated blood prior to their surgery at their hospital blood bank during the weeks leading up to their surgery. Some of them required the transfusion. Some of them didn’t.
That said, it’s your call unless your surgeon advises you otherwise.
I hope this helps explain a little bit about blood transfusions and blood banks prior to heart surgery.
Keep on tickin!
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| About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here. |
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