Anesthesia for a Jehovah's Witness Patient Experiencing Unexpected Perioperative Hemorrhage: A Case Report.
10.12701/yujm.2006.23.1.96
- Author:
Seoung Ki LIM
1
;
Dae Lim JEE
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea. djee@med.yu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Jehovah's Witness;
Hemorrhage
- MeSH:
Adult;
Anemia;
Anesthesia*;
Disulfiram;
Hemorrhage*;
Humans;
Humerus;
Jehovah's Witnesses;
Religion;
Reoperation
- From:Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine
2006;23(1):96-102
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Jehovah's Witnesses refuse a transfusion of blood or blood products because of religious beliefs; this refusal at times presents a dilemma for the treating physician. We report a case of a 25-year-old Jehovah's Witness patient who underwent a reoperation for a previous proximal humerus shaft fracture and experienced unexpected massive hemorrhage intraoperatively and postoperatively. The postoperative lowest hemoglobin level was 2.9 g/dl. The patient recovered from the severe anemia without any clinical sequala. We review the legal, ethical and religious issues and suggest the best possible medical care that Jehovah's Witness patient would permit.
