title: Postoperative management of a severely anemic Jehovah's Witness.
abstract: Preoperative preparation and intraoperative techniques to minimize blood loss comprise standard therapy for the patient who refuses blood products on religious grounds. The severely anemic postoperative patient presents a particular problem in dealing with oxygen transport and consumption. The management of a Jehovah's Witness with a hematocrit of 6.6% is presented. Oxygen consumption (VO2) was decreased 30-50% by the use of body surface cooling, neuromuscular blocking agents, and narcotic-barbiturate administration.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000628:therapy*; D002835:Christianity; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012068:Religion and Medicine