Blood Bank Before Heart Surgery?
As 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!
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, a unique book which integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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November 13th, 2008 at 9:14 am
hey adam that is a great question. thats one thats been on my mind. I found out my medicare doesnt start until june 09 instead of dec. 08. Im nervous ? I have a question for yop will anything happen if i fly? My mom has me all parinoid to fly to california for thansgiving. I have to have double maybe triple valve replacement surgery. Its been 2 years i have been waiting to have this done.Get back to me Adam i would appreciate all your information. How is the pregnancy? isnt she due like about now. thanx janet lee
November 13th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
To the question on giving blood in reserve prior to your surgery, I read your excellent book, and raised the same question with my surgeon who then prepared the necessary documents, but the blood bank affiliated with St. Luke’s Heart Center in Bethlehem, Pa. where I had my successful surgery for aortic valve replacement would not take my blood because they did not want to affect my hemodynamics in any way prior to the heart surgery.Fortunately, I needed no transfusions and my hemoglobin normalized within a few days, but I continued to take Iron pills for approximatey 2 weeks as prescribed by my outstanding surgeon, Terril Theman M.D.