Bloodless Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in a Jehovah's Witness

A A Case Rep. 2015 May 15;4(10):140-2. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000000067.

Abstract

We present the case of a 53-year-old female Jehovah's Witness with nonischemic cardiomyopathy who successfully underwent a bloodless heart transplantation using fibrinogen concentrate (RiaSTAP; CSL Behring, King of Prussia, PA) and other blood-conservation methods. With a multidisciplinary team and the use of preoperative erythropoietin-stimulating drugs, normovolemic hemodilution, cell salvage, and pharmacotherapy to prevent and treat coagulopathy, we were able to maintain hemoglobin levels greater than 11 g/dL without the need for blood transfusion. We conclude that orthotopic heart transplants may be performed successfully in select Jehovah's Witness patients using standard and novel blood conservation methods.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Blood Loss, Surgical / prevention & control
  • Blood Transfusion / ethics
  • Bloodless Medical and Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Cardiomyopathies / blood
  • Cardiomyopathies / surgery
  • Epoetin Alfa / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Fibrinogen / therapeutic use
  • Heart Transplantation / methods*
  • Hematinics / administration & dosage
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Jehovah's Witnesses*
  • Middle Aged
  • Religion and Medicine
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Hematinics
  • Hemoglobins
  • Epoetin Alfa
  • Fibrinogen