Perioperative Blood Loss
Perioperative Blood loss: What it is and What to Look For
Perioperative Blood Loss is the amount of blood lost through a surgical procedure. It can result from a variety of sources, including surgical incisions and bleeding of the patient’s own blood vessels. Perioperative blood loss can lead to serious complications and should be closely monitored.
Early detection and treatment of perioperative blood loss is the key to patient safety. The following guidelines discuss the signs and symptoms of significant blood loss as well as strategies for prevention.
Signs and Symptoms of Perioperative Blood Loss
Patients can experience a variety of signs and symptoms that suggest significant perioperative blood loss.
- Feeling unusually fatigued
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heart rate
- Rapid drop in blood pressure
- Bleeding from surgical site or other areas
- Feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint
- Feeling cold
- Urine output that is decreased
These signs and symptoms should alert medical personnel to take appropriate steps to monitor, diagnose, and treat perioperative blood loss.
Causes of Perioperative Blood Loss
Perioperative blood loss can be caused by a variety of sources:
- Surgical incisions
- Bleeding from the patient’s own blood vessels
- Instrumentation trauma
- Chemical irritation of tissues or vasoconstriction
In certain cases, religious or cultural needs of the patient must be taken into consideration during the surgery.
Strategies for Minimizing Perioperative Blood Loss
The risk of perioperative blood loss can be minimized through a variety of strategies, such as:
- Minimizing blood vessel trauma
- Controlling blood vessel pressure
- Using hemostatic agents at the time of surgery
- Staging long procedures
- Using antifibrinolytic agents
- Maintaining patient hydration
- Using cell salvage techniques
- Using careful blood product use and monitoring
By taking these strategies into consideration, doctors, nurses, and medical support personnel can help reduce the risks associated with perioperative blood loss.
