Bloodless Surgery "A Major Medical Trend"

UNDER the heading " 'Bloodless' Surgery,"  Maclean's magazine reported that doctors  across Canada have been "developing new techniques that, over the past five years, have turned so-called bloodless surgery into a major medical trend." Brian Muirhead, an anesthesiologist at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre, is one of them.  What prompted his search for alternative nonblood management? 

In 1986, Dr Muirhead took on the challenge of operating on  a 70-year old man with a bleeding ulcer who, because of his Bible-based beliefs as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, had asked for treatment that did not require a blood transfusion.  (Acts 15:28, 29) Dr. Muirhead "resorted to a little used method of pumping saline solution into the patient to keep his blood pressure up,"  reports Maclean's.  "The procedure was a success, and it reinforced Muirhead's growing belief that 'we were giving too many blood transfusions. I thought it was time to look at alternatives.  (This is what I plan on.  I am getting a living will for this purpose because it has to be legal. This is what God wants, because our spirit is in our blood.)

The quest for bloodless surgery was "spurred both by concerns over the future supply of donated blood-and by many patient' fears of getting a disease virus from a transfusion."  Thanks to the research by innovative doctors, not only Jehovah's Witnesses but many others have benefited.  "Besides eliminating the need for transfusion in many cases, bloodless surgery reduces the risk-however slight-of infection from tainted blood," says Maclean's.  But even  "clean blood can pose a risk of infection by temporarily suppressing patient's immune systems.

What is behind the firm belief of Jehovah's Witnesses concerning alternative nonblood management?  You may be interested in reading the brochure How Can Blood Save Your Life? Jehovah's Witnesses will be happy to share it with you.

Next time: Places of Worship DO WE NEED THEM?

The Watchtower, 2001