Surgery

Wockhardt Hospitals Conducts Surgery without Blood Transfusion

Dr Vivek Jawali

The Bannerghata branch of Wockhardt Hospital, Bangalore recently had an interesting case where a Jehovah's Witness patient wanted a bloodless surgery, conforming to her religious belief. Even auto transfusion (using the patient's own blood), blood products and use of cell savers are against the faith. Dr Vivek Jawali, Director of Wockhardt Hospitals and Chief Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon had to sign a declaration that he will not give his anaemic patient a blood transfusion during surgery, even in case of mortal danger.

Diagnosed with severe Calcific Aortic Stenosis, an obstruction of the aortic valve which restricts the flow of blood and had coronary artery blockages, she was in need of a valve replacement and a bypass surgery. "It was a meticulous surgery where only 200 cc of blood in all was lost. Generally, these surgeries require at least five units of blood transfusion," said Dr Jawali. He has operated first of his six Jehovah's Witness patient in 1984.

"Blood transfusion might cause immunological complications apart from transmitting diseases from the donor to the recipient. For instance, blood of an HIV positive donor, in whom the virus is in an incumbent period, will easily pass off as safe blood," said Dr Jawali.

"Blood conservation is a global movement and there are many alternatives to avoid blood transfusion. Giving medicines which make the patients bleed less, using blood thinning medicines, haemostatic surgery or meticulous surgery, performing a beating heart bypass without a heart lung machine and keeping patient off pump or not cooling the patient also helps in patient bleed less," he added.

EH News Bureau