Bloodless Medicine & Surgery

At Trinitas Regional Medical Center, we are committed to meeting the specialized needs of each patient. We understand that some patients prefer the option of therapy without blood transfusions. Our Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program fills that need. Using an integrated team approach, our highly skilled surgeons, anesthesiologists, hematologists and pathologists along with other specialists and support staff combine to produce this invaluable new facet of patient care.

What is Bloodless Medicine and Surgery?

Bloodless medicine and surgery is a state-of-the-art approach to managing diseases and conditions while lowering and in many cases eliminating exposure to transfused blood. Specifically, a bloodless program utilizes a variety of techniques and resources to minimize blood loss, salvage and re-infuse as much of a patient's own blood as is possible thus ensuring maximum oxygen delivery to the cells and organs. It also involves the use of pharmaceuticals to maximize blood production - essentially using the patient's own body as a blood bank.

Click here to view Bloodless Medicine & Surgery Program Brochure in Spanish (PDF)

Bloodless medicine and surgery is accomplished by some of the following methods:

  • Patient identification at all points of entry
  • Minimal blood sampling
  • Effective use of recombinant DNA products that stimulate the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and improve clotting time
  • Use of additional hematopoietic (The formation of blood or blood cells in the body) therapies which serve to restore iron levels, with applications such as iron, folic acid, and ascorbic acid to facilitate iron absorption and stimulate the production of red blood cells
  • Minimally invasive surgery (lowers blood loss)
  • Acute normovolemic-hemodilution (lowers blood loss)

Why Would A Patient Want To Use A Bloodless Approach?

Trinitas provides this program as an option for patients who wish to avoid the use of donor blood during medical and surgical procedures. Some patients hold a religious conviction that prevents them from receiving blood transfusions. Others feel more comfortable knowing that with transfusion-free techniques, they avoid the risk of blood borne illnesses such as hepatitis or HIV. Whatever the reason, we respect this decision and feel privileged to be offering Elizabeth's only Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program.

Which Medical Specialties Can Use A Bloodless Approach?

Thanks to advances in equipment, techniques and technology, Trinitas Regional Medical Center can safely and successfully provide non-blood medical and surgical care for a variety of specialties such as but not limited to:

  • Cancer/Cancer Surgery
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Surgery
  • Gynecology Surgery
  • Hematology
  • Intensive Care Management
  • Neurosurgery
  • Obstetrics
  • Orthopedics
  • Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat)
  • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Urologic Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery

Advanced Technology

Bloodless Medicine and Surgery uses tried and true minimally invasive techniques to reduce blood loss by:

  • Enhancing circulation of a patient's own blood through intravenous fluids called volume enhancers
  • Utilizing the pharmaceutical synthetic erythropoietin to stimulate the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow
  • Salvaging, filtering and recirculating the patient's blood in a continuous cycle by using an advanced cell saver system
  • Accelerating blood clotting during surgery with an argon beam coagulator
  • Elevating the body's oxygen level using the hyperbaric chamber
  • Tracking oxygen levels before, during and after surgery with skin monitors
  • Using proven techniques to lower the patient's blood pressure and temperature during surgery

About the Program Manager

The Bloodless Program offers 24-hour access to the program manager who is trained and experienced as a facilitator in all aspects of blood avoidance and blood conservation. Our manager's goal is to ensure the highest quality of medical care while respecting your individual choices regarding specific medical procedures. Our program manager will work with you directly to see that your needs are understood and accommodated by our staff.

For more information Bloodless Medical and Surgical Program at Trinitas, call (908) 994-8787. We look forward to hearing from you!