Knee or Hip operation?

Are you going into hospital for a knee or hip replacement operation?

Blood transfusion?
If so, it may be that you will require a blood transfusion to replace any blood that you might lose.

Traditionally, doctors in the UK have used donated (homologous) blood to replace lost blood. Blood from donors is stored under controlled conditions in a ‘Blood Bank’ until needed. The blood is screened for both bacteria & viruses before it is given to you. This minimises the risk of you getting an infection such as hepatitis from someone else’s blood. Today, homologous blood transfusion is very safe – but it is safer still if it can be avoided!

Now you have a choice. When you are talking to your doctor or surgeon before your operation, the subject of an "intra-operative" and/or “post-operative autologous blood transfusion” may be raised.