Brain Injured Patients Receiving Blood Transfusion Have Higher Fatality Rates

By: Peter Kent ... Click on author's name for more of their articles

According to recent research deriving from scientists on the National Anemia Action Council (NAAC), the common procedure known as blood transfusion may be causing higher fatality rates among traumatic brain injury patients. The practice is also known to potentially cause "composite complication including multi-organ failure."

The results of a seven-year study found that 46 percent of the 1,150 traumatic brain injury patients in the study were anemic at some point during their first week of admission to a hospital following their injury. The anemic group was found to have complications that consisted of 76 percent received blood transfusions during their first week and transfusion in this group was associated with more complications and a higher mortality rate than patients who were not transfused."

According to the study’s results, the scientists recommended that "both anemia and transfusion should be assessed together in TBI patients since in some subgroups the risk of anemia may overshadow that of transfusion," according to an article published in a Jan. 7 issue of PubMed.

Blood Transfusion Uncovered

Blood transfusion is considered a safe and life saving procedure in which "blood is given to you through an intravenous (IV) line in one of your blood vessels and blood transfusions are conducted to replace blood lost during surgery or a serious injury," according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

The American Cancer Society reports that there are no man-made alternatives to blood, but the following could be considered several alternatives to blood transfusions:

* erythropoietin

* collect and reuse of blood, also known as intra-operative or post-operative

* blood substitutes

* growth factors, including the production of substances known as hematopoietic or blood forming growth factors, which produce extra blood naturally within the body

* volume expanders

Overcoming TBI

Individuals who suffer from a traumatic brain injury incident may be able to garner a free legal consultation from an experienced personal injury attorney that can provide details surrounding a TBI lawsuit. It may be necessary to contact a traumatic brain injury law firm to obtain details surrounding a TBI lawsuit, which may offer monetary compensation as a reward for damages endured.

By discussing a potential case with a traumatic brain injury lawyer, an individual is protecting him or herself from the dangers of litigation that may arise.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: For more on TBI, visit brain-injury.legalview.info/. Also, by visiting www.LegalView.info readers can garner a wide range of useful legal information including the latest on truck accident lawsuits as well as the recent criminal probe surrounding the peanut butter recall.

Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Peter Kent

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