Need for safer blood transfusion: Dr Oliver

KOCHI: Stringent and new policies on blood transfusion assumes great significance when infections and diseases caused by contaminated blood are being widely reported in the country, observes Dr. Oliver M. Theusinger, Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, University of Zurich, Switzerland, an international expert in blood management. Talking to DC on the sidelines of a symposium on ‘Blood Management in ICU’ organised by Medical Trust Hospital here on Sunday, Dr. Oliver observed that unlike Western countries, rigorous screening tests were not being followed for blood transfusions in India.

“New policies and changes have to be implemented in blood screening so as to save precious blood products and to prevent health hazards through unsafe transfusion. Though the country has more than 2,500 licensed blood banks, the WHO prescribed international protocol on transfusion is not being strictly followed. High expenses for tests also is a major hindrance,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Oliver feels that introduction of new technologies like point-of-care in the ICU and CCU which was now being widely used would help save the number of blood products given to patients.

“Usually, bleeding patients in the ICU are given all blood products regardless of the requirement. But using this new machine, the doctor can know what the patient precisely lacks and the exact blood product can be given. The practice of storing a patient’s blood during surgery and giving it back to him after the procedure also is getting popular.” A good patient blood management directly impacts the success of a surgical procedure while maximum efforts have to be made to avoid transfusion.

“Even the safest transfusion has risks on the patient.” “Transfusion can be avoided in elective surgeries through proper consultation and ensuring that the hemoglobin and iron levels are normal and patient has no bleeding problems,” he said. On the chances of developing artificial blood, Dr. Oliver feels that though research was carried out in many countries, it was impossible to develop oxygen-carrying blood in the next 10 or 15 years.