The main reasons I wouldn't have surgery with blood is for the fact that a person heals faster when no blood is administered and then the cost. The idea that I would be allowing something so intimate as a person's blood components into my system just does not appeal to me. Each person has his own unique DNA and it just doesn't seem right to "mix" it. If a surgeon performs an operation to the best of his ability, than the success rate for bloodless surgery increases. No doubt there are some surgical procedures that seemingly may require the use of blood, but all in all, I cannot think of one. The primary reason, though, that I would not consent to the use of blood is the admonition to "abstain from blood." I cannot interpret that any other way.

__________________
Sybille
“Think highly of yourself
because the world takes you
at your own estimate.”

Subject: What Personal Reasons Not To Accept Blood Transfusions.

Having been on this site for a while, I am of two minds. There are two groups of people who are inclined not to accept blood transfusions. Jehovah's Witnesses and individuals who truly are concerned about their health and contacting blood borne illnesses. I encourage individuals who are posting on this particular forum to share why it is they will not accept blood transfusions no matter what their personal beliefs. Hopefully this will be of interest to everyone either sharing or posting.

__________________
Sybille
“Think highly of yourself
because the world takes you
at your own estimate.”

There is a third type although probably rare.

One surgeon had an 87 year old Jehovah's Witness with a broken hip. Both she and her husband refused the transfusion. They asked him behind her back.

Ironically and this is also rare, a 35 year old woman broke her hip the same day.

The 35 year old woman who got blood was in the hospital longer than the 87 year old. This surgeon could not read enough on the subject after that. He once said to me, maybe there is something to God saying blood was to be poured out on the ground (he was Jewish).

On visiting the hospital a few years later, the nurses told me that he no longer even gives the blood that is collected from knee surgery back to the patients, even though it is their own blood. His reason, it is better medicine.

Of course the nurses were happy because they had less work to do. The surgeons outcomes were slightly improved (he was already very good).

Although perhaps a rare opinion, a few doctors think this way and would / have refused blood themselves for this reason.

Are you doing a paper on just the facts or are you doing the "human experience" in your paper? I have lived through a Fontan procedure which is an open heart surgery and they did it bloodless. I have the "human experience" if that is what you are looking for. If you want research material you should contact your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and request a "blood brochure" and there is also a video "dvd" on the choice of bloodless surgery that has a lot of facts.