What are options for blood transfusions?
With sophisticated biological tests, blood transfusions today are safer than ever. You can donate blood for yourself several weeks in advance of your surgery if you are healthy and meet the weight requirement. This is called “autologous” blood. If relatives or friends donate blood for you, this is called “designated donor” blood. Blood must be donated at least three to four days prior to surgery to allow for appropriate testing of the blood. Barring clerical error, autologous blood has the lowest infection and transfusion-reaction risks. Any other type of blood has a risk of about one in 60,000 for hepatitis and about one in 500,000-1,000,000 for HIV.
