The care of a child with multiple trauma and severe anemia who was a Jehovah's Witness.
Jehovah's Witness followers do not accept blood derived transfusions and available methods for avoiding transfusion have been used with degrees of success, demonstrating that the probability of death after trauma in these patients may not be significantly different from religious groups. In this report, we describe the case of a child victim of a multiple trauma with severe anemia due to blood loss, whose family would not authorize blood transfusion because of their Jehovah's Witness faith. We discuss the current indications for restricting transfusion, as well as highlighting new tools that contribute to the success of minimizing blood loss, thus avoiding transfusion.
Digieri
Luciana Andrea
LA
Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, Rua Cesário Mota Júnior, 112-CEP 01221-020, São Paulo, Brazil. ludigieri@ig.com.br
Pistelli
Ivan Pollastrini
IP
de Carvalho
Cid Eduardo
CE
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019090:Case Management; D002648:Child; D003102:Colloids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000601:surgery; D000077324:Crystalloid Solutions; D003469:Culture; D003646:Debridement; D004298:Dopamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D033221:Jehovah's Witnesses; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003102:Colloids; D000077324:Crystalloid Solutions; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D004921:Erythropoietin; D014812:Vitamin K; C021024:ferric hydroxide; D005492:Folic Acid; D004298:Dopamine