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By its very nature surgery is invasive, and requires transection of tissues in order to accomplish the goal of the operation. However, by utilizing careful surgical technique and following natural tissue planes, USC Thoracic and Foregut surgeons are able to minimize blood loss.
Furthermore, when indicated the use of medication to stimulate the body's blood cell production mechanisms allow patients to build up their blood counts before surgery, and restore them more rapidly after surgery. The intraoperative use of non-blood volume expanders allows most surgical procedures to be performed without the need for blood product administration. Surgeons in the thoracic and foregut group have extensive experience with performing operations on Jehovah's Witness patients who will not accept blood products even under life-threatening circumstances. Consequently, we have refined techniques to minimize intraoperative blood loss and perform even extensive procedures without the need for blood product administration. |
