Blood Conservation Program
At Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, we understand that a blood transfusion carries certain risks. Although some patients need a lifesaving transfusion, there are many patients who would prefer to conserve and minimize blood loss from medical treatments in the hope of possibly avoiding a blood transfusion. We agree with this approach to blood conservation.
There is a growing body of medical research that shows a clear association between more blood transfusions and more medical complications and poorer outcomes. Medical research has shown that infection, cancer recurrence, length of hospital stay, recovery time and cost of hospitalization are all reduced when fewer transfusions are needed. Therefore, the leaders at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have developed a comprehensive blood conservation program. We encourage you to learn more about blood conservation and to discuss with your physician what blood conservation techniques might be right for you.
Whether your health needs bring you to us for surgical or medical care, we want to introduce you to the many blood conservation methods that may help you. Blood conservation does not begin in the operating room. For surgical patients, there are three main occasions when blood conservation techniques may be especially helpful:
1. Pre-operative (before surgery)
2. Peri-operative (during surgery)
3. Post-operative (after surgery)
Many of these applications can also be used for non-surgical patients that may need a transfusion, but are not scheduled for the operating room. Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has designed a comprehensive blood conservation program that provides the latest blood sparing technology to our patients.