If your child is scheduled for surgery , cardiac catheterization , or electrophysiology study , it is necessary to have blood available in case a blood transfusion is needed. You might want to consider an autologous or directed blood donation. An autologus blood donation a blood donation by the person having the surgery. According the the Red Cross, your child must be 85 pounds in order to qualify for this.
Autologous blood is the safest blood to use for a blood transfusion.
The blood is donated a few weeks before surgery and is stored for the surgery. A directed blood donation is when a friend or relative of the child donates their blood especially for the child's surgery. This blood is also donated before the operation and saved. All donated blood is tested for transmitted diseases. Autologous and directed donations fees are not covered by most insurance companies.