jehovah spat info booklet

7/27/2019 Jehovah Spat Info Booklet

1/4

WH/IOL/05

Transfusion Alternatives forJehovahs Witnesses

Patient Information Booklet

St Georges Healthcare NHS TrustSt Geo rges Hospita lBla cksha w Roa dLondonTel: 020 8672 1255E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.stgeorges.nhs.uk

JobRef:9

449

Designed

andproducedbyMediaServices.


2/4

This information is for Jehovahs Witness and it explains thealternatives to blood transfusions. There are two mainmethods used as alternatives to transfusions. There are also

drugs (medicines) that can be used to prevent / manageblood loss. This booklet tells you about each alternativeand explains the safety issues of each one.

1 6

For further information and advice please contact:

Mark GrumbridgeTransfusion PractitionerSt Georges Hospital

Telephone 020 8725 0607 or call 020 8672 1255 bleep 7574

Kelly FeaneTransfusion PractitionerSt Georges Hospital

Telephone 020 8725 0607


3/4

3. Erythropoietin

Erythropo etin is a na tura lly o ccurring hormo ne prod uced bythe kidneys. It stimula tes the bo dy t o produce more red

blood cells and is used t o trea t a na emia. It is w idely used a sa tra nsfusion a lterna tive. It is usually g iven b y injectionbetw een on e a nd t hree t imes per w eek. Side eff ects oferythropoietin include:I high blood pressureI skin rea ctionsI headachesI

bone pa inI flu-like sympt o ms.

4. Aprotinin (Trasylol)

Aprotinin is a drug tha t is given prior t o hea rt surg ery toreduce the risk of bleeding a nd t he need fo r transfusion.Aprot inin is mad e f rom t issue t a ken fro m cow s. There a reside effects and risks in receiving AprotininI Throm bo phlebitis (inflamm a tion o f t he vein)I Allerg ic rea ction s very ra reI Bloo d clot format ion.

As w ith a ll med icines the re a re risks a ssociat ed w ith ta kingor receiving such drug s. The side e ff ects liste d a long side e a chdrug a re those w hich ha ve been reported by pa tients w ho

ha ve received the me dica tion a nd listed by the m a nufa ctureras possible side effects. Patients can react differently tomedicines and the risks a nd bene fits of e a ch o f t he listedmedicines w ill be expla ined by yo ur Consulta nt or a memb erof his tea m.

Methods used as transfusion alternatives1. Intra- operative cell salvage

What is cell salvage?Cell sa lvag e is a met hod of

collecting blood loss during an

operation a nd g iving it b ack to

the patient. When cell salvage is

used, b loo d t ha t is lost during

the opera tion is collected into

a ma chine (see pictu re below ).This filte rs a nd w a shes th e b lood

to remove an y con ta minant s. The

blood can t hen be g iven ba ck to

the pa tient during t he operation

or a f terw ards. The a dvanta ges of

this a re tha t t he pa tient is g iven

a transfusion o f t heir ow n blood.

Is it acceptable for Jehovahs Witnesses?

This w ill de pen d o n t he view s of t he ind ividua l. Cell Sa lvag e

is deemed acceptable by many Jehovahs Witnesses as it does

not involve t ransfusion of blood from a n unknow n d ono r.

How safe is it?It is a procedure t ha t is now very comm on in mo dern

hea lthcare. There ha ve not been a ny reports of a ny serious

a d verse incide nt s. The Nat iona l Institut e fo r Clinica l

Excellence (NICE) has issued guidelines for its use in the UK

a nd considers it a sa fe procedure.

5 2


4/4

2. Acute Normovolaemic HaemodilutionThis met ho d is som et imes ca lled bloo dless surge ry. Befo re

the o perat ion a pa tients blood is collected into b a g s. A

closed circuit is then set up w hich involves mainta ining t hesame a mount of b loo d in the system w ith volume

expand ers (a t ype of f luid). At th e end of t he operation,

the b loo d is a llow ed t o f low ba ck to the pa tient. This is a

complex process a nd yo u mig ht f ind t he diag ram be low

helpful.

Drugs used to prevent / manage blood loss astransfusion alternativesThe f ollow ing info rmat ion covers a few examples ofcommo n drug s used a s tra nsfusion a lterna tives. The use ofsuch d rugs depends on the type o f surg ery you w ill beha ving a nd a lso your current m edica l con dition. Yourmed ica l tea m w ill ta lk to you a bo ut t he use of suchmedicines and other treatments.

1. Tranexamic Acid (Cyklokapron)

This med ica tion is used to prevent h ea vy bleed ing fro mdental extractions and nose bleeds in particular. It works byincreasing clot formation and is useful in stopping severebloo d loss during a nd a ft er surge ry. The d rug can b e g ivenora lly (by m ou th ) or intra venou sly (by injection). As w itha ny med icine the re are side eff ects. The m a in side eff ects ofTra ne xam ic a cid a re:I

nauseaI vomitingI diarrhoea

2. Novoseven

Novo seven is a bloo d coa g ulat ion (Thickener) fa ctor(ing redient ). It w orks by ma king the blood clot a t t he site ofbleeding w hen the bod ys ow n clot t ing fa cto rs are notw orking . It can be used to trea t severe bleeding episod esa nd to prevent excessive b leeding during surge ry. It is usuallyg iven b y injection . Ag a in a s w ith mo st d rugs, Novo seven canha ve side eff ects. Com mo n side e ff ects include :I rashI feverI nausea

3 4

jehovah spat info booklet

Documents