Lively Women

Do the Risks of Blood Transfusions Outweigh the Benefits?

by Kristen King on January 10th, 2007

January isn’t just National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month — it’s also National Blood Donor Month. According to AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks),

Every day in the U.S. approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities to treat patients with cancer and other diseases, to support organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident and trauma victims. Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. January, in particular, is a difficult month for blood centers to collect blood donations. A reduction in turnout can put our nation’s blood inventory at a critical low.

Although blood transfusion is very common in modern medicine, did you know that it also carries potentially serious health risks?

An article published in BMJ in 2002 says,

In the past few years there has been increasing concern about blood transfusion safety. Avoidable transfusion errors, mostly in patient identification, remain a serious cause of injury and death. There is also heightened awareness of the risk of transmission of viral and bacterial infections.

The review goes on to discuss at length major and minor concerns surrounding the use of donor blood in medical treatment.

A December 2006 article in Australian newspaper The Age reports two transfusion-related deaths and dozens of transfusion recipients at risk. According to the article,

An investigation by The Age has found that more than 100 incidents involving bacterially contaminated platelet transfusions have occurred since September 2004.

The Wikipedia article on blood transfusion discusses some specific risks of transfusion, including infection and incompatibility of transfused blood with the recipient.

Because of the risks of blood transfusions, bloodless medicine, that which provides treatment without supplementation using blood or blood products, is growing in popularity. The NJ Institute for The Advancement of Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center is dedicated to providing bloodless treatment to those who object to receiving blood or blood products. Many people, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, refuse blood products because of religious beliefs, whereas others do so for medical reasons.

According to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center, advantages of bloodless care include that it

• Reduces the danger of infection and immunosuppression
• May allow for quicker hospital discharge and faster recovery
• Allays concerns about blood shortages

More information about bloodless surgery is available from the Bloodless Medicine & Surgery Institute (BMSI).

So what does this mean for people who are considering donating blood, now or at any other time? Whether you choose to donate blood is a personal decision. There are few reported medical risks affecting members of the general public who choose to give blood. Lab Tests Online says,

The blood banking community assures the U.S. public that it is safe to donate blood. A new, sterile needle is used for each donation procedure. Therefore, you cannot get infected with viruses, such as HIV or hepatitis, by donating blood.

In addition, donors are screened before giving blood to ensure that they are in good health and have no complications that could cause them harm by donating. Mild side-effects from the procedure that a donor might experience include stinging during insertion of the needle, upset stomach, dizziness, and possibly a small amount of bruising later at the site of the blood draw. In very rare cases, a donor may faint, have muscle spasms, or suffer nerve damage.

AABB provides a list of frequently asked questions about blood donations. You should check with your health care professional and/or on-site donation staff if you have any questions or concerns about your eligibility to donate blood.

If you have concerns about receiving blood or blood products in the course of medical treatment, the best course of action is to talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of various treatments. To ensure that your medical wishes are always met, even if you’re not in a position to make an on-the-spot decision, perhaps because of incapacitating injury, it’s always a good idea to make your family and/or close friends aware of your treatment wishes. Information about creating an advance medical directive or living will is available from the following sources:

• The U.S. Living Will Registry
• The Mayo Clinic
• MedLawPlus
• LegalZoom.com

You should always consult with a legal professional whenever creating or evaluating any kind of legal document, even when the person or organization providing it is one you trust. Make sure you understand every part of any legal document you sign — you’re ultimately responsible for its contents.

So what do you think about giving and receiving blood?

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