| If you have surgery and need a blood transfusion, | | | | absolutely needed. But in some cases, the doctor will |
| how can you be sure the donated blood is free of | | | | monitor the patient during the first stages of |
| the deadly AIDS virus? That's a question many are | | | | recovery and prescribe iron supplements to avoid a |
| asking since it was discovered that the fatal disease | | | | transfusion. |
| can be transmitted through blood transfusions. | | | | With every regular blood a person donates, the risk |
| Although every pint now undergoes strict testing to | | | | incrementally increases, therefore, the fewer the |
| eliminate tainted blood, a small danger remains. Every | | | | better. Still, situations may arise when you need |
| blood donated will undergo screening for HIV virus, | | | | blood, and transfusion is a medical necessity. |
| which leads to AIDS. Hepatitis B, syphilis and another | | | | Autotransfusion during surgery - Some hospitals are |
| rare form of hepatitis also are screened out. But | | | | now capable of recycling blood lost during surgery, |
| even with screening that at least one pint in every | | | | reducing the need for transfusions. Blood that was |
| 100,000 donations carries the AIDS infection and slips | | | | previously drained out of the body and thrown away |
| through to an unsuspecting recipient. | | | | is now being filtered, cleaned, treated and returned |
| One sure way to avoid AIDS through transfusions is | | | | to the patient. This is known as autotransfusion, |
| to donate your own blood and have it saved until | | | | because the blood is actually from the same patient. |
| you need it. A second sure way works like this, | | | | First, the blood is suctioned out of the wound. Next, |
| during surgery, the doctors collect blood seeping | | | | the blood is filtered to remove dangerous blood clots |
| from your wounds, recycle it, and put it back in your | | | | and any foreign materials. Blood thinners may be |
| body. | | | | added. |
| These techniques are called autologous transfusion. | | | | In some systems, the blood is separated in a |
| Autotransfusion is another term for the same thing. | | | | centrifuge, and only the red cells are kept. Finally, the |
| This means that you give your own blood back to | | | | blood may pass through a sterile solution before it is |
| yourself. | | | | returned to the patient. |
| Because of the AIDS crisis, many doctors are more | | | | Autotransfusions can be quick and cost-effective. It |
| reluctant to give blood transfusions. In one of health | | | | takes less time to set up the equipment than it does |
| institutes they asked that all transfusions be kept to | | | | to test for blood type and then cross-match |
| a minimum. They definitely should be given when | | | | potential blood donors from a blood bank. |