Minimal Blood Loss Surgery

Minimal blood loss options are available for those who wish to minimize the use of donor blood during medical and surgical procedures. The staff at the Children’s Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery are committed to upholding the personal, religious, or medical wishes of those who desire the use of alternatives to blood transfusion.

Doctors and surgeons participating in this program have a high level of expertise in minimizing the need for transfusions and a personal desire to help families requesting non-blood medical management for their child.

An accepted modern medical specialty, bloodless medicine and surgery technology began years ago in response to concerns about the nation’s blood supply. Research in bloodless medicine and surgery, which has primarily focused on adults, shows patients enjoy a reduced length of stay, improved outcomes, and increased satisfaction when they receive bloodless medical and surgical protocols. The advanced techniques involved allow the patient to recover quicker with a decreased risk of infection. In addition, bloodless medicine is also cost effective.

While the number of bloodless medicine and surgery programs in existence has increased dramatically over the past five years -- from 37 in 1994 to approximately 100 bloodless programs in the U.S. today -- they continue to focus primarily on adults. Children’s Hospital Central California is the only independent pediatric hospital in the Western United States to develop a bloodless program, making us unique in bringing advanced bloodless techniques to pediatric patients. The benefits that have been found effective for adults are now being applied to the care of children, and Children’s Hospital is at the forefront of this advance.