An Overview of Bleeding Following Open Heart Surgery
Bleeding during
open heart surgery is normal. In fact, some bleeding following this type of surgery is also expected. There can be several causes of bleeding following open heart surgery, and the treatment will vary depending on the cause and your individual situation. It is possible that urgent surgery may be necessary to stop serious bleeding after the open heart surgery or to repair a blood vessel that was damaged. In rare instances, it may be necessary to open your chest in the ICU or recovery room to attempt to control sudden and life-threatening bleeding. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence.
Transfusions for Bleeding Following Open Heart Surgery
If bleeding is severe, blood and blood products are often used.
When this is the case, there is a small risk of a blood transfusion reaction. This may cause an allergic reaction, abnormal blood clotting, or kidney failure. Because the blood and blood products are actively screened for various diseases and problems, including
AIDS and hepatitis, blood transfusions are generally safe.
However, there is an extremely rare chance that you may contract an illness secondary to these transfusions. The estimated risk of:
Depending on your individual situation, it may also be possible for you to donate your own blood. If so, you will usually donate blood about three to four weeks prior to your open heart surgery.
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