Blood Management

Blood Management offers our patients alternative approaches and uses numerous techniques to decrease blood transfusions throughout the hospital.

With patient safety being a priority, the reduction in the use of blood products has been triggered by several factors including:

1) Risks associated with transfusion of blood
2) Poor clinical outcomes associated with blood transfusions
3) Blood shortage
4) High cost of a blood transfusion
5) Patients’ demands

Blood Management encompasses pre-operative planning that includes anemia evaluation and treatment and intra-operative and post-operative management.

1. Pre-operative Anemia Clinic

For a patient with chronic anemia (low red blood cell count) this program utilizes numerous treatments and therapies to optimize a patient’s red cell count prior to surgery.

Techniques include:

  • Medical evaluation of anemia prior to surgery including a review of medication/herbal supplements
  • Use of iron and vitamin supplementation
  • Use of erythropoietin

2. Intra-operative Management – During surgery, steps are taken to minimize blood loss.

These techniques include:

  • Normovolemic hemodilution before surgery
  • Use of an intraoperative cell salvage device which collects, cleans and returns the blood to the patient
  • Surgical and anesthesia techniques to minimize bleeding

3. Post-operative Management – The postoperative management includes:

  • Use of cell salvage techniques to collect blood from surgical drains
  • Use of iron, vitamins and erythropoietin therapy
  • Strategies to help an individual develop a greater tolerance to anemia
  • Standardized blood utilization practices
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
94 Old Short Hills Road
Livingston, NJ 07039
(973) 322-5000
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RWJ University Hospital Rahway
865 Stone Street
Rahway, NJ 07065
(732) 381-4200
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Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
1 Robert Wood Johnson Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 828-3000
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Blood Management Treatment & Care

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