‘Bloodless’ Surgery Popular Option
Originally devised for Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose religion bars blood transfusions, “bloodless” surgery and similar procedures are now offered at a Denver hospital as an option for other patients.
University Hospital’s Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program uses so-called bloodless techniques for procedures that generally require transfusions. Lasers are used instead of scalpels, bone marrow is stimulated before surgery, oxygen levels are tracked with skin monitors, synthetic blood products are substituted in transfusions.
The hospital is one of 19 nationwide known to use such procedures, hospital officials said.
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