“Blood Conservation: A Crucial Aspect of Patient Care”
"Blood Conservation: A Crucial Aspect of Patient Care"
“Blood Conservation: A Crucial Aspect of Patient Care”
Blood conservation is a vital component of patient care that involves reducing the need for blood transfusions and optimizing the use of blood products.
Dr. Christian Owusu, Director of the Medical Training and Simulation Center at UGMC and Senior Lecturer at the Medical School, emphasizes the importance of blood conservation and highlights the need for education and training of healthcare workers.
Blood conservation refers to the strategies and procedures used to reduce the need for blood transfusions. This includes optimizing the patient’s own blood reserves, minimizing blood loss, and using alternative treatments.
Dr. Owusu stresses the importance of patient education in blood conservation. Patients may have preconceived notions or misconceptions about blood transfusions, and educating them about the benefits and risks of blood conservation can help improve their outcomes.
Three Pillars of Blood Conservation
The three pillars of blood conservation are:
1. Improving the patient’s ability to build their own red cells or blood.
2. Minimizing blood loss.
3. Harnessing the patient’s reserves, such as their bank deposits.
There are various strategies that can be employed to conserve blood, including surgical and anesthesia strategies. These strategies play into the three pillars of blood conservation and can help reduce the need for blood transfusions.
Blood conservation is a crucial aspect of patient care that requires education, training, and a multidisciplinary approach. By understanding the importance of blood conservation and employing strategies to reduce blood loss and optimize blood use, healthcare providers can improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of adverse events.
Next Dr. Asman…..
“New Foundation Aims to Promote Bloodless Medicine and Surgery in Ghana”
A new foundation has been launched in Ghana to promote bloodless medicine and surgery, with the goal of reducing the burden on the country’s blood transfusion services. The Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Foundation, led by Dr. Wilfred Kojo Asman, a pediatric surgeon at the University of Ghana Medical Center, aims to educate the public and healthcare professionals about alternative blood transfusion methods.
– Reducing the burden on blood transfusion services
– Increasing awareness of alternative blood transfusion methods
– Educating the public about the importance of maintaining healthy blood levels
– Sensitizing healthcare professionals about alternative blood transfusion methods
According to Dr. Asman, blood conservation is crucial in Ghana, where a significant proportion of the population is anemic. He notes that about 60% of children and 42% of women in Ghana are anemic, which can lead to increased blood transfusions.
Applicability to Children
Dr. Asman emphasizes that bloodless medicine and surgery can be applied to children, contrary to popular myth. He notes that alternative blood transfusion methods, such as hemodynamic transfusion and blood salvage, can be used in pediatric surgery.
The launch of the Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Foundation marks an important step towards promoting blood conservation in Ghana. By educating the public and healthcare professionals about alternative blood transfusion methods, the foundation aims to reduce the burden on blood transfusion services and improve patient outcomes.
Story by Fada Amakye
