New Real-Time Blood Monitoring May Lessen the Need for Transfusions During Surgery
Monday, October 18, 2010 - 15:31
in Health & Medicine
A patient on the operating table starts bleeding profusely. Medical staff use sponge after sponge to soak up the blood, unsure of exactly how much has been lost. Should the attending physician order a transfusion ? The patient may still have enough red blood cells for the rest of the surgery, but a lab test to confirm the count can take 15 to 45 minutes. [More]