Double jaw surgery and blood transfusion

Message

#1 Post by **Kirish** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:26 am

I there a high chance I will be getting a blood transfusion during a double jaw surgery ?

#2 Post by **charlsie142** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:10 am

No, I would say there is little to no chance you would have to have a blood transfusion during double jaw surgery.

I lost very little blood at all during my double jaw surgery.

Hope this helps!

#3 Post by **trish222** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:11 am

I was told I lost alot of blood during surgery but did not require a blood transfusion. I have, however, tested positive for anemia because of blood loss. Not a huge deal, upped my iron intake when I was able to after surgery.

#4 Post by **Audra** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:22 am

Because of the risk of blood loss during double jaw surgery, the anaesthetist will lower your blood pressure during the surgery. In order to monitor your blood pressure you will have an arterial line put in (after you are asleep) to monitor the BP with each heart beat. Expect a pretty good bruise on your wrist afterwards from the ART line.

I had to have a pre-transfusion type and screen done two weeks before surgery and had to wear the plastic bracelet with my info on it until after I was discharged from the hospital. They do this in case you do need the transfusion, but my surgeon said that they rarely ever have to do them.

#5 Post by **lfwood** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:36 am

Only if there is excessive bleeding. Sometimes they will get you to donate your own blood prior to surgery just in case.

#6 Post by **Kirish** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 4:20 am

charlsie142 wrote:No, I would say there is little to no chance you would have to have a blood transfusion during double jaw surgery.

I lost very little blood at all during my double jaw surgery.

Hope this helps!

This is pretty surprising, considering we are talking about a 4-5 hours surgery, and that at least in the case of Lefort 1 we are talking about an oseteotomy in a place with a lot of blood vessels...

#7 Post by **charlsie142** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 5:11 am

My double jaw surgery took just over 2 hours, and if you have a good surgery team, there shouldn't be a lot of blood loss (in most cases). Just like Audra mentioned, the lowered blood pressure during surgery helps to reduce bleeding that would have occurred when operating in an area with a lot of blood vessels like the upper jaw.

Just based on what's reported on these message boards, a blood transfusion and lots of blood loss is not typical unless there is a bleeding disorder present. So in no way did I mean it never happens; it's just not the norm.

Hope this helps!

#8 Post by **geordie999** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:35 am

I had a 2-piece maxillary osteotomy (LeFort 1). Surgery took about 1 hour - which I know because the paged my wife when it started and then paged her again when they had finished. In the pre-surgery literature donating blood was briefly mentioned but the surgeon never brought it up when I talked to him and I never thought to ask.