Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? - Christianity Etc (4) - Nairaland
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| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by OLAADEGBU(op): 3:57pm On Jan 22, 2020 |
Janosky:The article was about contaminated blood that was used it did not say all blood banks are contaminated. This is what you get when you cannot understand simple statements because of your constant brainwashing that has done a lot of damage to your reasoning. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 6:19pm On Jan 22, 2020 |
Christians don't just speak against SIN before unbelievers without enlightening them first! ![]() There is no sin where there is no law, and there can't be laws without agreement. So it's what you have discussed and agreed upon that can be made as law, NOT what you don't understand! ![]() SIN is what will eventually lead to the death of the sinner, but it may take a long time before it manifest. So an enlightened person must help to educate others on the danger that SIN could cause. Most people finds it extremely difficult to believe that some things are SIN since it doesn't cause any immediate damage! But when God's word say something is SIN, FAITHFUL people believe (trust) God's word and try all their effort not only to desist from doing it, but also to alert others about the danger! ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by OLAADEGBU(op): 9:46pm On Jan 22, 2020 |
Maximus69:What makes you a Christian? Maximus69:What is sin? Maximus69:Empty talk. Who doesn't sin and who doesn't die? Are you righteous and will you not die? ![]() Maximus69:With all your efforts are you saying that you are no longer a sinner? ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 6:38am On Jan 23, 2020 |
OLAADEGBU:What did Kumuyi teach you? But before you answer, let me tell you what our GB taught me. (1) A Christian is anyone who is striving to imitate Jesus in thoughts, words and deeds. Matthew 17:5 (2) Sin is what God (Creator) knew could harm you, so he tells you DON'T do it. Genesis 2:17 (3) It's not the sin we're committing now that's causing our death, it's the one we inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve). Psalms 49:7-9 So no matter how good you are, it doesn't matter because you're going to die just like any other descendant of Adam. {Romans 5:12} But if God's Kingdom begins now, all those living their lives in harmony with Godly principles won't need to die again {John 11:25-26} because Jesus have paid for the Adamic Sin causing our death. John 19:30 (4)No matter how hard i try now, i'm only working towards getting an approval to enter God's Kingdom where Jesus will cure me completely from the curse of Adamic sin! Revelations 7:14 compared to Luke 13:24 ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 8:24am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Maximus69:I thought it's ONLY Jehovah's Witnesses are the only Christian" So why does your definition now has "ANYONE WHO IS STRIVING" You'll see how the deluded JWs will respond... (4)No matter how hard i try now, i'm only working towards getting an approval to enter God's Kingdom where Jesus will cure me completely from the curse of Adamic sin! Revelations 7:14 compared to Luke 13:24Oh oh....you're still trying and working towards getting approval....yet you behave like God to have known the end from the beginning. Not only hypocrisy is you people trade mark couple with ignorance |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 9:46am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:What of the ones that blood transfusion didn't kill and the ones that received uncontaminated blood transfusion? What of the ones bloodless surgery and medicine killed in the course of using them as lab rats? Lol |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 9:50am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Emusan:Emusan no get sense...... You get so worked up for nothing as if JWs owe you anything.... You no know your problem.... Lols Matt 24:12-14 12 Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.… *************** Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. ************ Luke 21:19 By your patient endurance, you will gain your souls. ************ Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. *********** Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 9:53am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:How does this rant address my post? You forgot to pick your brain from your GB before you reply bah ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 10:08am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Hairyrapunzel:What of the "lab rats" your 'life saving' blood transfusions claimed their 'life ? The so called ' BT life saving' with out any issues propaganda has been claiming lives since the practice began. "Abstain from blood" is a scriptural injunction & how JWs follow it is none of your bizness !! I say I don't want BT, it's my right & my choice, RESPECT IT. JWs don't owe you anything for the position we take on any issues, after all, you no be God. From bigotry to insanity. Go get a life jare..... |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 10:17am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Emusan:Jesus words to his disciples, "he who strives, endures/persevere to the end is the one that will be saved" ,those scriptural references confirmed Emusan lacks sense. Go & quarrel with Jesus, him say your "once saved always saved" na FRAUD. JWs who persevere to the end will be saved, 100% confident !!!! Go & check your PB |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 10:50am On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:How does this your rant address my post? Read my post again and again and see whether it correlates with your reply... Janosky lacks sense.Remember to pick your sense from GB next time Go & quarrel with Jesus, him say your "once saved always saved" na FRAUD.Oponu... Can you show me anywhere on this forum I claim "once saved always saved" ![]() Liar like your father devil! |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 12:30pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Emusan:Mr Runaway Agitator, you're back trailing Jehovah's Witnesses, i just don't know why you're so restless whenever JWs are around! ![]() Are you also a Deeper Life Kumuyi pikin? ![]() Well let me disarm your missile as usual! ![]() (1)Jesus appointed a group in the early twentieth century,{Matthew 24:45} they are known as the International Bible Students then, later God called them by another name "Jehovah's Witnesses" {Isaiah 65:15} they're so small in number back then until Jesus supported them with the holy spirit. Luke 12:32 Today millions have joined them in the end time work assigned to them {Luke 10:2} You call all of us "Jehovah's Witnesses" but let me tell you today that we are just assisting them in the work Jesus gave them. Matthew 25:31-40 Anyone who failed to acknowledge them will PERISH! So if you are not assisting them with their assigned duty, it simply means you're not part of Jesus' sheep who are watching each others back, therefore you're on the broad road leading off to destruction! Matthew 7:13-14 ![]() (2)Well each one of us is still working out his/her salvation, note how Paul attached this to OBEDIENCE of those leading the organization {Philippians 2:12} therefore we stick to the instruction Jesus is giving us through the GB, as long as we remain loyal to them we are sure of the prize. Zechariah 8:23 So we must keep our humility and righteousness intact to get the final approval, after IDENTITYING them whoever backslide out of self centeredness will have himself/herself to blame. Zephaniah 2:3 For your information, that's what WASHING OUR ROBES in the blood of the lamb means! Revelations 7:14 The Jehovah's Witnesses are the first set of God's Kingdom CITIZENS{Revelation 7:5-8} there government house has been prepared by the King himself (Jesus Christ) in heaven {John 14:1-4} but as for all those who will live FOREVER on earth, each one of us must listen and learn from them. Revelations 20:11-15 They are serving as the foundation stones of God's Kingdom! Revelations 21:14 For your information, all those who have lived and died as faithful servants of God before Jesus, are still coming back to this planet to learn from the books written by Jesus' disciples! Be it Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha until John the baptist. All of them are coming back to humbly learn how to live in Paradise, whoever fails to accept what Jesus' followers penned down as instruction WILL NOT ENTER GOD'S KINGDOM! ![]() Go and tell all your Pastors that Maximus said so! ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 12:54pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Maximus69:For you to notice this, then my post must have been a thorn in your flesh.... I also noticed your deluded brother have the same perception about my post....Glory be to God in the highest! Are you also a Deeper Life Kumuyi pikin?Whatever! Well let me disarm your missile as usual!A clown wants to disarm....wonder shall never end (1)Jesus appointed a group in the early twentieth century,{Matthew 24:45} they are known as the International Bible Students then, later God called them by another name "Jehovah's Witnesses" {Isaiah 65:15} they're so small in number back then until Jesus supported them with the holy spirit. Luke 12:32Just see brainwash everywhere....so pathetic that you can't see your own foolishness! I guess you're the very one who will teach Solomon... |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 2:42pm On Jan 23, 2020*. Modified: 3:41pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Emusan:You're always running away after your ignorance has been exposed! ![]() Solomon was wiser than all those who lived before him and his contemporaries Sir! But whoever have learnt from Jesus' teachings is 1,000,000 times wiser than Solomon {Luke 11:31} So if Solomon is resurrected now i will teach him the wisdom that surpassed the one given to him during his lifetime, the WISDOM is called "Jesus" the greatest counselor who ever walked on planet earth, he is the POWER and WISDOM of God! Isaiah 9:6 compared to 1Corinthians 1:24 Go and tell your Pastors! ![]() If you're not dumb, you want to compared the WISDOM found in Jesus with the little given to Solomon! ![]() Come on, Solomon ended his life as an IDOL WORSHIPER! ![]() Do you think someone who stick to the teachings of Emmanuel can do that? ![]() If Satan's missile caught up with Solomon's wisdom, who do you think could be fully competent and completely equipped to TEACH Solomon how to avoid such deadly pits? Well go and tell your Pastors that a Christian (student of Jesus) is fully competent and completely equipped for all good works! 2Timothy 3:17 |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 9:20pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:Baby killer. Lol Abstain from blood is a scriptural injunction and your jehovah said you should not accept blood transfusion yet he said you should accept autologous blood transfusion aka bloodless surgery, blood fractions/components gotten from blood donated by wicked/worldly people and cows. Your jehovah aka gb (because no invisible person will come and make any law) is a psychopath that enjoys his followers killing themselves and their children because he gets orgasms knowing his followers obey man made rules. Lol. Baby killer. Your children are endangered humans. Just because they said you will wake up in imaginary lala land aka paradise earth if you choose the path of death rather than allogenic blood transfusion. Lol The paradise earth has not still come since 1945. It will never come. Don't die of depression o. I no fit laugh. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 9:30pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:By killing their babies, children and themselves means that they persevere to the end? I no fit laff. Jim Jones and jim Jones people's temple members persevered to the end they killed themselves and their children for their beliefs. Na cycle. Every evil on this earth is committed using God/jehovah/Allah as back up for those beliefs. It's not new. After yourself and your colleagues finished lying that babies don't have rights to their life and parents can refuse blood transfusion in developed countries. You later brought out reference for only mature minors. Lol Una no know say babies children and immature and even mature minors na government children in developed countries when someone exposed your lies you kept quiet. Keep killing your kids in Nigeria. Your gb will never kill theirs. In fact they cant refuse blood transfusion on their babies when doctors say it is needed. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 9:34pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:It has now changed from blood transfusion is eating blood to blood transfusion is entering your body the way eating blood enters your body? I no fit laugh. Have they changed their teaching? Is this new light. I no fit laugh |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 10:03pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Please where is runaway Emusan? ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 10:15pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Janosky:Last last see kids that died refusing blood transfusion. Killer religion.
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| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 11:18pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
OLAADEGBU:Olaadegbu LIAR. blood transfusions kills... ************** https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ transfusions-kill-patients-say- doctors-1070012.html Transfusions kill patients, say doctors Jeremy Laurance | @ jeremylaurance | | BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS given routinely to tens of thousands of critically ill patients may be killing them, doctors have found. Canadian researchers have found that giving extra blood, despite its essential role in maintaining life, can cause more harm than good in those who have been thought in greatest need of it. The unexpected finding, from a study of more than 800 critically ill patients, will deliver a serious blow to the idea of accident victims being stretchered into hospital with a bag of life-giving blood suspended above them. Doctors had assumed that any means of boosting oxygen supply to the body's tissues in those who were seriously ill would improve their chances of survival. But the Canadian research shows that critically ill patients who received more blood were up to twice as likely to die as those who received less......" |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 11:32pm On Jan 23, 2020 |
Emusan:I know say you go lie your "once saved always saved" is not your belief... |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 12:06am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Janosky:The ones that refused blood transfusion and still died nko? Canadian research at least did not say that the critically I'll patient who did not receive blood transfusion at all did better. Last last the Canadian researchers never said blood transfusion is bad and in critical conditions they shouldn't use them. Show me the place in that article where they said they didn't use blood transfusion because blood transfusion was contaminated? Na even 20years online article you see bring out. Please kuku give us the one your illiterate nathan knorr used to ban blood transfusion for his followers in 1945. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 12:09am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Hairyrapunzel:These young people are very brave to stand up for their beliefs with firm conviction. They have faith like Abraham's. Heb11:17-19. They are not cowardly bigot like you who showcase your insanity on NL. g 94 12 / 8 p . 30 From Our Readers Awake!—1994 From Our Readers Faithful Youths I was touched by the series “Youths Who Put God First.” (May 22, 1994) When I was a teenager, I had a brain tumor. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I told the doctors: “I don’t want to take a blood transfusion.” Although a court order was obtained to force blood on me, the surgery went well without it. As I read about these faithful young servants of God, I had tears in my eyes. They had been through the same experience as I! Their stories have touched my heart and strengthened my love for God. M. P., United States *************** Since I suffer from an incurable form of leukemia, the experiences of young ones who have proved their devotion to Jehovah were quite encouraging to me as an adult. Many thanks. H. K., Austria |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 12:44am On Jan 24, 2020*. Modified: 1:31am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Janosky:Lol your religion glorifies it's killing of children due to blood transfusion ban. That is one out of the 27 children who killed themselves for their leaders. Those children had been reciting their brainwashed man made belief since they were able to talk. They tell you guys what to tell drs when they tell you about blood transfusion from the time you guys can talk. Since 1994 that they thought that if they refuse blood they will wake up immediately in paradise earth because they died for their beliefs they are still dead and paradise earth will never still come. Boko haram kill others and themselves for their beliefs Terrorists kill others and themselves for their beliefs Jim Jones kille others and himself for his beliefs Jws kill themselves and their children for their beliefs. Last last all extremist groups kill themselves and others that includes their children for their beliefs. Your colleague did not even take the blood transfusion he still died yet you say everybody accepting blood transfusion must die or suffer complication. I am one of the billions that got blood transfusion and survived without complications. You just glorify murder committed by your gb. Baby killer. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Hairyrapunzel: 12:46am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Janosky:You people are trained to love death before sef. It's your indoctrination. You are ready to kill your children for dead nathan knorr. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 5:40am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Janosky:I told you, he will disappear again, once his ignorance has been exposed! ![]() Confused Dullard who couldn't figure out the difference between a Christian and an ancient servant of God! If we tell them to humble themselves before the Governing Body, they'll start spewing gibberish as if they know something, but when their foolishness becomes obvious, they'll run away! He is surprised that it's Christians that will teach those ancient servants of God what the long awaited Christ taught after them! Daniel 12:8-13 My brother, let's just keep praising JEHOVAH for his mercy towards the honest hearted and sincere people! |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 5:56am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Maximus69:Never fight with pig because it'll drag you into mud... |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Emusan(m): 6:05am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Janosky:Devil is a liar and father of it all.... If you can't provide a single place where I've created a thread that supported "Once saved always saved" or where I start jumping from one thread to another claiming "Once saved always saved" then you'll continue to be who you are! The son of your father, the devil! But the irony part of it is that you people don't have a single shame, when you were caught red handed lying instead to tender apology you'll keep wallowing in your evil conscience trying to justify your wicked act. REPENT!!! |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Nobody: 6:28am On Jan 24, 2020 |
Emusan:Of course you must accept defeat Sir! Because you've got NOTHING more to say after seeing clearly from what Jehovah's Witnesses are saying that Christians are much greater in wisdom than ALL THOSE who lived before Christ. Perhaps you'll need this to WITNESS to your Pastors about the divine wisdom given to JWs. Jesus said "Of all those born by women, there has never been a person greater than John the baptist, but the least of those in God's kingdom is greater than John" Matthew 11:11 So go and TEACH your Pastors that Solomon (one of those born by women) could be greater than any of God's servants in material possessions, but when talking of GOD'S GIVEN WISDOM, Solomon is a baby as in a toddler if compared to a fully competent and completely equipped servants of God (Christian)! 2Timothy 3:16-17 Why? Because Solomon only knew little about what God had in mind to REVEAL to his servants, whereas a studious Christian having the complete document (Bible) knew far far more and much more than Solomon who never had the privilege of knowing Christ nor the completed message that could make us have everlasting life! 1Corinthian 13:10-11 Emusan! Go and TEACH your Pastors! ![]() |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 9:24pm On Jan 24, 2020 |
Emusan:Straw man post. Do you agree with these scriptures, the words spoken by Jesus Christ, which are "rants" to you ? Matt 24:12-14 12 Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.… *************** Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. ************ Luke 21:19 By your patient endurance, you will gain your souls. ************ Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. *********** Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" **************** Those scriptures are mere " rants" to Emusan. |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 10:19pm On Jan 24, 2020 |
Hairyrapunzel:HAIRY ARA ADIGHI RAPU ,kpele... you done take pill to cool your sickness tonight? ********* Jehovah's Witnesses who refuse blood transfusions ... https://www.cbsnews.com › news › jehov AP (CBS News) New research shows that Jehovah's Witnesses who refuse blood transfusions after cardiac surgery are at no greater health risks than people who undergo the procedure. The study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on July 2, intended to look at patients who do not undergo blood transfusions after cardiac surgery. Because Jehovah's Witnesses believe on religious grounds that they are not supposed to ingest the blood of another, they made ideal test subjects. The study looked at 48,986 non-Witnesses who had blood transfusions and 322 Witnesses who refused to have blood transfusions who all underwent cardiac surgery between 1983 to 2011. After matching the patients up by similar cases, RESEARCHERS FOUND BOTH GROUPS HAD SIMILAR RISKS FOR DYING AT THE HOSPITAL . However, Witnesses had lower chances of having additional operations for bleeding, renal failure and sepsis compared with non- Witnesses who received transfusions." (Trending News What is the coronavirus illness blamed for multiple deaths in China? Death index: Top 50 ways Americans die Conjoined twins (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) Depression, anxiety, suicide increase in this age group) "It behooves us to examine more closely some Jehovah Witness processes of care and implement them in our routine surgeries," study author Dr. Colleen Koch, a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, said to HealthDay. Witnesses spent less time in the intensive care unit and less time in the hospital than the other group. They also had higher survival rates compared to the people who were non-witnesses at 95 percent and 89 percent respectively. Both groups had close 20-year survival rates (34 percent versus 32 percent). According to the Mayo Clinic, blood transfusions can cause a number of health complications, including allergic reactions, fevers, lung injury, spread of bloodborne infections and acute immune hemolytic reaction - a rare transfusion reaction in which a person's body attacks the new blood because it's not the proper type. But, HealthDay points out that screening techniques introduced in the 1990s have made it safer than it previously was. Transfusion is typically ordered because of the risk of anemia - which the National Institutes of Health defines as a condition where the body does not have enough red blood cells. Anemia can cause the person to feel tired or weak, have headaches and shortness of breath, as well as problems concentrating or thinking. Dr. Victor A. Ferraris, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Kentucky, wrote in an accompanying commentary that the study shows that it might do doctors well to look at their own practices. "The findings of this analysis by Pattakos and colleagues add to the increasing data that suggest that more conservative use of blood transfusions would be in our patients' interest, in both Witnesses and non- Witnesses," he stated. But, Dr. Gregory Fontana, chair of cardiothoracic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, warns HealthDay that the results don't indicate that we should expand the findings to everyone. "just because this paper is published, we cannot willy nilly start treating everyone like Jehovah's Witnesses," he told HealthDay. "It does provide further evidence that transfusion with real indication carries a risk that heretofore has been underestimated." ******* Hallelujah, Praise Jah !!! |
| Re: Are Blood Transfusions Sinful? by Janosky: 10:39pm On Jan 24, 2020 |
Hairyrapunzel:LIAR.... HAIRY ARA ADIGHI RAPU ,kpele... you done take that pill to cool your sick brain tonight? ***************** October 26, 2017 Open-Heart Surgery Achieves Success Without Blood Transfusions By SharingMayoClinic Teamwork and careful planning allowed for successful surgery to treat a congenital heart defect in an infant who, for religious reasons, could not receive blood transfusions or blood products. When RaeLynn Gehrke was born in December 2016 with a complex heart condition called tetralogy of Fallot , her parents knew they were up against a difficult situation. The family, who live in Bemidji, Minnesota, learned that an operation was required to correct the malformations caused by RaeLynn's condition. However, as Jehovah's Witnesses whose faith prevents them from receiving blood transfusions, her parents knew that the standard of care for most patients would not be acceptable for RaeLynn. Recognizing the family's concerns and the complex circumstance it put them in, the pediatric cardiologist treating RaeLynn in Fargo, North Dakota, connected them with Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeon Sameh Said, M.D. Following months of careful planning and a coordinated effort among a team of clinicians, on July 17, 2017, the infant was able to undergo open-heart surgery at Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus using a procedure that was in line with the family's beliefs. "It was really an example of an extraordinary team effort," Dr. Said says of the successful surgery — the first of its kind in a pediatric patient at Mayo Clinic. The teamwork RaeLynn's parents saw in action and the communication among the team members assured them their daughter would receive the highest caliber of care. "They realized our fears going into it," says RaeLynn's mother, Summar Gehrke. "We knew how confident and determined they were to not only get the procedure done safely but without any blood." Perfecting the plan When Dr. Said received the request to consult on RaeLynn's case, his first thought was that the operation was technically possible, but it would take careful planning. "How can we do it and keep the results excellent and make sure the child is safe?" Dr. Said says. "We thought if we had the right team and preparation, we'd be able to do the operation with minimal risks." Dr. Said assembled a team of specialists that included Caitlin Blau, in cardiac perfusion, Paul Stensrud, M.D. , in cardio- thoracic anesthesia, nurse practitioner Corissa Hebb, Grace Arteaga. M.D. , in pediatric critical care, and medical secretary Rachel Johnson. The group's focus became devising a surgical strategy for RaeLynn, the team's most important player. "Cardiac surgery is really a team sport," says Dr. Stensrud. "We normally work in teams and sometimes teams of teams, depending on what we need to do. This was focused on the cardiac surgical team, but there was a lot more communication than usual." "We thought if we had the right team and preparation, we'd be able to do the operation with minimal risks." — Sameh Said, M.D. Babies who require open-heart surgery and are placed on cardiopulmonary bypass — sometimes called the heart-lung machine — receive blood products during surgery. Blood is added to the heart-lung machine to maintain hemoglobin levels and decrease the hemodilution that can result from the machine, especially in babies, due to their small blood volume. People who have heart surgery also are often given blood transfusions to counteract the blood lost during the operation and the blood draws required for laboratory measurements used to guide therapy during and after the operation. "We had to modify every single step during that time," Dr. Said says. Devising a surgical plan that wouldn't involve blood products or transfusions began with determining what was acceptable to RaeLynn's parents. "The parents were very knowledgeable and were very specific," Dr. Said says. "Her mom asked me to basically write the protocol exactly how we were going to do this case. So we did that and emailed her. That was even before we met face-to-face." In addition to sending RaeLynn's parents details of the surgical protocol, several phone calls were made between Dr. Said, and Summar and Frank Gehrke, RaeLynn's father. That measure further increased RaeLynn's parents' confidence in her Mayo Clinic physicians. Redefining open-heart surgery Months before the surgery date, the plan was put in motion. It started with RaeLynn taking iron supplements and the hemoglobin- enhancing medicine erythropoietin. Those measures helped the baby's bone marrow produce high levels of red blood cells, which meant that she had more blood than typical patients going into the surgery. Perfusionist Caitlin Blau, who was responsible for operating the heart-lung machine during the surgery, used a formula that determined how low RaeLynn's hemoglobin would fall if no blood was used, and then calculated what her starting value had to be to sustain life. "We found that in order to do the procedure, we needed a hemoglobin between 15 and 16," Blau says. The day of the surgery, RaeLynn's hemoglobin was in that range at 16 grams/ deciliter (g/dL). But her hemoglobin level wasn't the only hurdle the team had to handle. "For newborns and infants, it's the norm to prime the machine with someone else's blood, so that made this case particularly challenging," Blau says. Instead of blood, a crystalloid solution was used to fill the machine's tubing and reservoir. The heart-lung machine itself was also modified with smaller tubing and was positioned close to RaeLynn to make the tubing as short as possible. These changes minimized the volume of blood moving out of RaeLynn, into the machine, and then back into her body. "For newborns and infants, it's the norm to prime the machine with someone else's blood, so that made this case particularly challenging." — Caitlin Blau "Another critical discussion revolved around the blood we normally draw for certain labs throughout the case. We decided as a team the minimum amount we could do, the better," Blau says. "I drew less than I normally would, while still safely monitoring RaeLynn's lab values." When the procedure was over and the surgery successfully completed, RaeLynn's hemoglobin count was 12 g/dL — higher than the 10 g/dL she had before she was given the iron and erythropoietin supplements prior to surgery. Envisioning a better standard of care Even with all of the preparations, RaeLynn's parents were ready to face complications. "We were prepared for something to go wrong. So when everything went so well, we were so relieved and so happy," Summar says. Just two days after having her chest opened and her malformations corrected, the baby was happy and smiling. At RaeLynn's two- week post-operative visit, her doctors declared that "her ticker was working great," Summar says. "We are so thankful for the care taken by the whole team. Her doctors and all of her nurses took such good care of our little girl and stayed so respectful of our beliefs," Summar says. "They had such great communication with us from the beginning to the end of the entire process." Franks says that since her operation, RaeLynn has grown tremendously. She's become stronger, has more energy, and her personality has blossomed. "We are so thankful for the care taken by the whole team. Her doctors and all of her nurses took such good care of our little girl and stayed so respectful of our beliefs." — Summar Gehrke The experience has not only enabled RaeLynn's development but has advanced her physicians' knowledge about this kind of unique surgery. "Transfusions can be lifesaving, but transfusions are not without risks," says Dr. Stensrud. "This was a learning experience because we can adapt everything we did here." Indeed, the future of neonatal and infant cardiac surgery may look much like the example set by RaeLynn's surgery, adds Blau. "This case really highlights the fact that we can do this," she says.' " |
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