Bloodless surgery is a complicated procedure which should only be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. At UPMC, a patient would first undergo a thorough evaluation involving hematologists, internal medicine specialists, anesthesiologists as well as the cardiac surgeons, in order to determine if it is safe to undergo the procedure. Blood loss is reduced both during and after surgery using various techniques that allow patients to retain their own blood. Several weeks before surgery patients are injected three times a week with epogen, a genetically engineered drug that stimulates production of red blood cells in bone marrow. Any amount of blood lost during surgery is captured and returned to the patient using a sophisticated operating room device called the Cellsaver, which is typically used during transplant operations to minimize donor blood requirements.
Surgeons also use laser coagulators to halt capillary bleeding.
Once the surgery is completed, the patient must remain in the operating room for an additional 30 to 45 minutes to be sure there is proper blood coagulation.