Question:
Did you have to have a blood transfusion with your plastic surgery?
As a rule, does plastic surgery normally require a blood transfusion? — Kimberly J. (posted on September 23, 2003)
September 23, 2003
I had plastic surgery in Dec 2002....tummy tuck. It was not even an issue.
I DO NOT think it is common, in fact I think it is extremely rare to have
a blood transfusion during a plastic surgery procedure. Obviously I am not
a kDoctor...just my 2 cents. :)
— skymaxjr
September 23, 2003
I think that it is one of those "only if needed" things, my WL
surgeon had never given a transfusion to a WLS patient in the 12 years he
has been doing Gastric bypasses, but I ended up needing 6 units of blood.
So I know that going into plastic surgery I am going to bank blood just in
case.
— Haziefrog
September 23, 2003
I had a panniculectomy and certainly didn't need blood. I didn't have a
transfusion with my open RNY either. I am now recovering from having a
total knee replacement, a surgery that frequently requires transfusions)
and I missed that one too.
— Patty_Butler
September 23, 2003
I had a hernia repair and a TT done at the same time. I also had a 'blood
transfusion' This was ordered by the doctor (I had two) doing the hernia
repair; the reason was I was extremly low in Iron; and the blood
transfusion was done because of that so my surgery wouldnt have to be
postponed.
— star .
September 23, 2003
I've had 2 plastic surgeries and didn't require a blood transfusion. It
certainly wouldn't be normal to have this done.
— Patty H.
September 23, 2003
That could depend on how much work you're getting done and how your iron
count is. I had a lower body lift plus a breast lift at the same time. It
was almost 9 hours worth of surgery, and I did have some blood loss. My
surgeon contemplated a transfusion as my iron count dropped low, but ended
up deciding against it and putting me on a regimine of prescription iron
instead. I had a friend that had a breast reduction and thigh lift, and
she DID get a transfusion, but she was a bit on the anemic side in general,
and it doesn't take much for her to go low. So, I don't think it's common,
but it can happen. I'm not a doc, but it seems to me that it would make
sense get your iron levels up before surgery to make it less likely that
you'd need a transfusion.
— mom2jtx3
October 6, 2003
I had a tummy tuck, breast lift and arms done on Thursday, 9/25/03. I
stayed in the hospital overnight. I found myself feeling worse and worse
each day home, and on Wed night, 10/1, starting bleeding heavily from the
abdominal incision site. My PS had me go immediately to the ER and while
the blood flow had stopped, my hematocrit (% of red blood cells in total
volume of blood) was at 22 (lowest acceptable level for a woman is 35). I
was admitted and by the next day, it had dropped to 19. They wanted to
transfuse, but I refused and spoke at lenghth with a hemotologist, deciding
to treat this at home with megadoses of iron. I came home on Friday, and
now, three days later, feel even worse. My PS told me that in about 20% of
cases with people who've had WLS, he does have to transfuse. Now I'm sorry
I refused the tranfusion and am contemplating returning to the ER.
— Cyndie K.
Click Here to Return