Korean J Anesthesiol.  1995 Aug;29(2):296-299. 10.4097/kjae.1995.29.2.296.

Anesthetic Management in Jehovah's Witness Patient Undergoing Emergency Open Heart Surgery

• Lee CS
• Park CH
• Kwak YL
• Yoo ES
• Hong YW

• KMID: 2237879
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1995.29.2.296

Abstract

Anesthesiologists face a special challenge in managing Jehovahs witness patients, who have deep religious convictions against accepting blood transfusion. Therefore, clear understandings of the philosophy of Jehovah's witness regarding blood transfusion and of the medicolegal aspects of their care are essential. Beginning of anesthesia, we explained about the blood conserving anesthetic management such as autotransfusion and hemodilution. After induction of anesthesia, we have conducted autologous predonation and acute normovolemic hemodilution. And aprotinin was administered to reduce perioperative blood loss. During cardio-pulmonary bypass, body temperature was at 28degrees C, hematocrit was around 20%, using bloodless priming solution and mean arterial blood pressure was in the range of 60 to 70 mmHg. Hematocrit was increased up to 32% at the first day after operation. We had successful experience of anesthesia in Jehovahs witness patient undergoing emergency mitral valve replacement without homologus blood transfusion. (Korean J Anesthesiol 1995; 29: 296~299)

Keyword

Jehovah's witness; Open heart surgery; Blood conserving anesthetic management

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Aprotinin
Arterial Pressure
Blood Transfusion
Blood Transfusion, Autologous
Body Temperature
Emergencies*
Heart*
Hematocrit
Hemodilution
Humans
Mitral Valve
Philosophy
Thoracic Surgery*
Aprotinin