Hemodilution

by turtleturtle 5 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  turtleturtle

  Did hemodilution change at one point in time? And, is that why there was a policy change in the WT?

  In other words, did fractions & procedures change and is that why policies changed?
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  TD

  Did hemodilution change at one point in time? And, is that why there was a policy change in the WT?

  For JW patients, an additional tube was added to allow some of the blood in the storage bags to recirculate during the procedure. This accomodated the JW position. (i.e. Extrocorporeal circulation is acceptable if it forms a closed circuit.)

  --I don't think this factoid can be found in JW literature
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  sir82

  I have always suspected the "why" of more liberal policy changes is "some family member of a Bethel heavy needed the procedure in order to have better odds of surviving surgery".
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  NOLAW

  Extrocorporeal circulation is acceptable if it forms a closed circuit

  : That is not required.
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  turtleturtle

  @ TD:

  ***g724/8pp.29-30WatchingtheWorld***

  ♦ Men of science are constantly developing new methods for performing surgical operations. TheJournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation, dated November 15, 1971, described a procedure for open-heart surgery that employs “sever hemodilution.” Early in the operation a large quantity of blood is drawn off into a plastic blood bag. Though the bag is left connected to the patient by a tube, the removed and stored blood is no longer circulating in the patient’s system. It is replaced with a plasma volume expander, which dilutes the blood remaining in the veins and which gradually dissipates during the operative procedure. Near the conclusion of the operation the blood storage bag is elevated, and the stored blood is reinfused into the patient. The New York Times of November 9, 1971, reported on a somewhat similar procedure whereby some days before one undergoes surgery as much as four pints of blood are removed and stored. During the operation the person’s own stored blood is transfused back into him, thus avoiding the danger of disease and mismatched blood. These techniques are noteworthy to Christians, since they run counter to God’s Word. The Bible shows that blood is not to be taken out of a body, stored and then later reused.

  Would an "extra tube" still be required now? The WT literature does not seem to indicate that would be the case.

  *** w00 10/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
  For example, during certain surgical procedures, some blood may be diverted from the body in a process called hemodilution. The blood remaining in the patient is diluted. Later, his blood in the external circuit is directed back into him, thus bringing his blood count closer to normal.

  It seems like the position did soften, since the "new light" does not require uninterruped circulation.

  *** hb p. 27 Jehovah’s Witnesses—The Surgical/Ethical Challenge ***
  Techniques for intraoperative collection or hemodilution that involve blood storage are objectionable to them. However, many Witnesses permit the use of dialysis and heart-lung equipment (non-blood-prime) as well as intraoperative salvage where the extracorporeal circulation is uninterrupted
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  BluesBrother

  "However, many Witnesses permit the use of dialysis and heart-lung equipment (non-blood-prime) as well as intraoperative salvage where the extracorporeal circulation is uninterrupted"

  Is this not an "uninterrupted circulation"?

  They do not accept one's own stored autologous blood. As far as I know,only a machine that catches and diverts blood back in the patient in one closed circuit operation. If anyone can provide a direction to the contrary from WTS, please do...