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We detail the case of a man in his 80s who was a Jehovah's Witness, presenting to hospital for the second time in 1 week with atraumatic, severe bruising affecting his right thigh and flank. He was subsequently diagnosed with idiopathic acquired haemophilia A (AHA) and was urgently treated with recombinant factor concentrate and immunosuppressive therapy. Management of his bleeding disorder and resultant severe anaemia was adapted in line with his religious beliefs. AHA is a rare bleeding disorder which should be considered in patients with an isolated prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and a history of recent or acute bleeding. Prompt diagnosis and management are essential as delays may result in increased mortality. Given that this patient declined blood transfusion, management of his bleeding disorder presented a unique challenge., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Emerging evidence suggests surgical outcomes of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery that refuse autologous transfusion is comparable to those who accept whole blood product transfusions. There are several methods that can be used to minimize blood loss during cardiovascular surgery. These methods can be categorised into pharmacological measures, including the use of erythropoietin, iron and tranexamic acid, surgical techniques, like the use of polysaccharide haemostat, and devices such as those used in acute normovolaemic haemodilution. More prospective studies with stricter protocols are required to assess surgical outcomes in bloodless cardiac surgery as well as further research into the long-term outcomes of bloodless cardiovascular surgery patients. This review summarizes current evidence on the use of pre-, intra-, and post-operative strategies aimed at the subset of patients who refuse blood transfusion, for example Jehovah's Witnesses., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) refuse blood transfusions due to religious issues. This situation may impact kidney transplantation (KT) outcomes in case of hemorrhagic complications. We evaluated demographic characteristics of this population, hematologic safety, and graft outcomes., Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study comparing KT outcomes in JW patients versus a non-JW control group. Hematologic endpoints included clinical indication for blood transfusion (hemoglobin <7 g/dL), decrease of hemoglobin >2 g/dL or hematocrit >5% in the first week after KT, hemorrhagic complications requiring surgery, and de novo prescription of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. Secondary endpoints included delayed graft function, treated biopsy-proven acute rejection, renal function, mortality, and graft survival at 12 months., Results: From January 1989 to September 2018, we identified 143 JW (10 pediatric) and selected 142 matched control (non-JW) patients. There were no differences in the incidence of clinical indication for transfusion (13.3% versus 11.3%, P = 0.640), but a higher proportion of non-JW patients received transfusions (2.1% versus 9.2%, P = 0.010). There were no differences in the proportion of patients with decreased hemoglobin concentration, in reinterventions due to hemorrhagic complications, in the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents at hospital discharge, in the incidence of acute rejection, in renal function, and in mortality or graft survival rate at 12 months., Conclusions: In summary, this matched control cohort study suggests that, when clinically indicated, blood transfusions can be safely avoided in the majority of JW kidney transplant, who achieve and maintain comparable hemoglobin concentrations during the first year after transplantation compared with non-JW patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We previously analyzed morbidity and mortality in Jehovah's Witnesses patients after cardiac surgery compared to control population patients. Patients who were Jehovah's Witnesses were operated in accordance with their philosophical convictions and in respect of their refusal of transfusions. We propose to assess long-term survival and quality of life in the patients of this preliminary study., Methods: We contacted 31 adult Jehovah's Witnesses patients who underwent heart surgery at the Brugmann hospital between 1991 and 2012 and compared them to a control population of 62 patients that had no transfusion restriction, and matched them for sex, age at the time of intervention and the type of surgery performed. We compared long-term quality of life in both populations through the MacNew software, a validated instrument to assess quality of life of patients with cardiovascular disease. The long-term survival of patients was analyzed by Kaplan Meier curves., Results: Long-term quality of life and survival do not appear different between the two groups. Patient evaluation by MacNew software shows comparable physical (p = 0.54), emotional (p = 0.12), social (p = 0.21) and global (p = 0.25) scores between the two populations. The analysis of the actuarial survival curves shows no differences in terms of long-term survival of these patients (p = 0.37)., Conclusions: Cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witnesses can be performed with identical long-term quality of life and survival compared to surgery without blood transfusion restriction, if one follows rigorous blood conserving strategies., Trial Registration: NCT03348072 . Retrospectively registered 16 November 2017.

Declining a treatment modality should not be considered the same as refusal of medical care as illustrated by the management of Jehovah's Witness patients who do not accept transfusions. Over the years, a comprehensive set of strategies have been developed to meet the specific needs of these patients and these strategies are collectively called "Bloodless Medicine and Surgery" (BMS). The focus in BMS is to optimize the patients' hematopoietic capacity to increase hemoglobin (Hgb) level, minimize blood loss, improve hemostasis, and provide supportive strategies to minimize oxygen consumption and maximize oxygen utilization. We present 3 case reports that illustrate some of the challenges faced and measures available to effectively treat these patients. Under BMS programs, patients with extremely low hemoglobin levels, not conducive to survival under ordinary conditions, have survived and recovered without receiving allogeneic transfusions. Additionally, the valuable experience gained from caring for these patients has paved the way to develop the concept of Patient Blood Management as a standard care to benefit all patients, and not only those for whom blood is not an option., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Elective liver resection (LR) in Jehovah's Witness (JW) patients, for whom transfusion is not an option, involves complex ethical and medical issues and surgical difficulties., Methods: Consecutive data from a LR program for liver tumors in JWs performed between 2014 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. A systematic review of the literature with a pooled analysis was performed., Results: Ten patients were included (median age = 61 years). None needed preoperative erythropoietin. Tumor biopsy was not performed. Major hepatectomy was performed in 4 patients. The median estimated blood loss was 200 mL. A cell-saver was installed in 2 patients, none received saved blood. The median hemoglobin values before and at the end of surgery were 13.4 g/dL and 12.6 g/dL, respectively (p = 0.04). Nine complications occurred in 4 patients, but no postoperative hemorrhage occurred. In-hospital mortality was nil. Nine studies including 35 patients were identified in the literature; there was reported no mortality and low morbidity. None of the patients were transfused., Conclusions: By using a variety of blood conservation techniques, the risk/benefit ratio of elective liver resection for liver was maintained in selected adult JW patients. JW faith should not constitute an absolute exclusion from hepatectomy., (Copyright © 2018 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

By virtue of their religious principles, Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) generally object to receiving blood products, raising numerous ethical, legal, and medical challenges for providers who care for these patients, especially in the emergent setting. In this review, we discuss several areas relevant to the care of JWs, including the current literature on "bloodless" medical care in the setting of perioperative and intraoperative management, acute blood loss, trauma, pregnancy, and malignancy. We have found that medical and administrative efforts in the form of bloodless medicine and surgery programs can be instrumental in helping to reduce risks of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Planning prior to an anticipated event associated with blood loss or anemia (such as elective surgery, pregnancy, and chemotherapy) is critical. Specifically, bloodless medicine programs should prioritize vigilant early screening and management of anemias, early establishment of patient wishes regarding transfusion, and the incorporation of those wishes into multidisciplinary medical and surgical care. Although there are now a variety of human-based and nonhuman-based products available as transfusion alternatives, the degree and quality of evidence to support their use varies significantly between products and is also largely dependent on the clinical setting., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The refusal of blood products by Jehovah's Witness patients has provoked court proceedings, social science research, and contemporary fiction, all of which emphasize a seemingly intractable conflict between religious and secular ways of being. This article takes a different approach, focusing instead on the space that Witness patients have carved out for their accommodation in a major pediatric research hospital. Using discourse analysis and interview data, I map the way moralizing discourses surrounding Witness families have shifted over the past 70 years alongside advancements in bloodless medicine. I argue that Witnesses have helped to enable their present accommodation and recognition by marshaling particular forms of economic, human, and social capital, and consider whether their success might be attainable by other treatment-resisting patient groups. Thus, this article explores the shifting limits of multicultural accommodation and the conditions that make understanding, collaboration, and compromise possible.

Background: Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) are a Christian faith with >1 million members in the United States who do not accept autologous blood transfusions. The optimal management of these patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures is not well defined. Here, we examined the feasibility and safety of JW undergoing neurosurgery in a blood management program., Study Design and Methods: Sixty-eight JW patients including 23 men and 45 women (mean age 53 ± 12 years) who underwent a variety of cranial (n = 19) and spinal (n = 49) neurosurgical procedures during a 5-year period were identified retrospectively and their hospital charts, anesthetic records, and operative reports reviewed. A concurrent cohort of sex-, age-, and procedure-matched non-JW controls also was identified., Results: Among JW patients, a cell-saving system was used in 27 cases, with blood retransfused in 13 cases. Lactated Ringers solution was used extensively intraoperatively; albumin was given to 15 patients. The median decrease in hemoglobin was 2.1 g/dL. One patient had a postoperative hemoglobin value <7 g/dL. One patient returned to the operating room to revise a lumbar pedicle screw, and one patient had postoperative seizures. No cardiopulmonary complications, sepsis, pneumonia, or wound infection were observed. Compared with the matched control group, similar outcome results were observed. Blood loss and operative time also were similar in JW patients and controls., Conclusions: Neurosurgical procedures in Jehovah's Witnesses are feasible, safe, and have similar outcomes to patients willing to accept transfusion when managed within a multidisciplinary blood-management program., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study focuses on the requirement of JWs to refuse medical blood transfusions. We identified a life-death cognitive dissonance among JWs, with the opposing cognitions of being willing to sacrifice life by religious standards, while being unwilling to do so. Using a theory that connects cognitive dissonance with the need to regulate difficult emotions to analyze our qualitative data material, we identified two sets of dissonance reduction strategies among the JWs. Set 1 was tied to the individual-group: selective focus on eternal life, a non-blood support and control system, and increased individualization of treatment choices. Set 2 was in the religion versus medicine intersection: denial of risk combined with optimism, perception of blood as dangerous, and use of medical language to underscore religious doctrine.

Resulting from health care reform in Germany that was implemented in 2003-2004, a new medical classification system called the "Diagnosis Related Groups" (DRGs) was introduced in hospitals. According to the media, social scientists, and a few physicians interviewed in this study the policy negatively transformed the German health care system by allowing the privatization of the hospital sector consistent with the neoliberal health care model. Allegedly, this privileged economic values over the quality of health care and introduced competition between hospitals. Nevertheless, members of the Hospital Liaison Committees (HLCs) of Jehovah's Witnesses argued that the DRGs system could be used to the advantage of Jehovah's Witness (JW) patients. HLCs often assist in the patient's search by providing names of physicians that would be willing to refrain from blood transfusions. This article draws from nine months of ethnographic research with Jehovah's Witnesses, including members of the HLCs, carried out primarily in Berlin between 2010 and 2012. By focusing on JWs, whose refusal of blood transfusions is often exemplified as particularly difficult for the biomedical profession, it addresses the "unintended" consequences of the introduction of DRGs into the German health care system that remain unexplored by health and social science scholarship. It argues that although JWs have long been associated with the judicialization of religious freedom globally, they do not equally engage in the judicialization of health in countries such as Germany. The reason for this is embedded not only in health care policy that favors mediation over medical malpractice litigation. It also results from the synergy of health care reforms that prioritize standardizing and economizing measures such as DRGs as well as practices implemented by Patient Blood Management programs that JW institutions, such as HLCs, have tapped into., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Blood transfusions belong to standard and commonly utilised biomedical procedures. Jehovah's Witnesses' transfusion refusals are often referred to in bioethical and medical textbooks. Members of this globally active religious organisation do not, however, challenge biomedical diagnosis and treatment as such. A result of both their trust in and their interpretation of the Bible, they question only this medical treatment. In spite of the global presence of this religious community and its uniformly practised teachings, including those pertaining to blood, experiences and choices of Jehovah's Witness patients have been understudied. Drawing on a nine-month fieldwork with Jehovah's Witnesses and physicians in Germany (mainly in Berlin) between 2010 and 2012, the paper addresses treatment choices made by Witness patients and their relationship with physicians. In light of the long tradition of 'medical heterodoxy' established in German culture and society, Germany constitutes an ideal point of departure for such a study. By utilising the concept of 'medical landscape' it is argued that Jehovah's Witnesses in my field site find themselves at the intersection of different medical landscapes: in the 'immediate' surroundings of the German healthcare system that is open to different 'treatment modalities', and that of the United States, which favours biomedicine. The paper also argues that Jehovah's Witnesses' position towards blood transfusions can further be used as a lens to shed light on the German (bio)medical landscape itself.

Background: Surgical approaches for many tumours are often limited by blood loss, exposure and risk to vital anatomical structures. Therefore, the standard of care for certain skull base tumours has become endoscopic transnasal resection. Other surgical disciplines often use cell salvage techniques, but review of the otolaryngology literature revealed very few case reports. This study investigated the value and safety of salvage-type autologous blood transfusion during the endoscopic resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas (JNA)., Methods: JNA is a rare vascular nasal tumour and the study extended over a 3-year period to obtain adequate patient numbers. All patients undergoing endoscopic resection during this period were included in the population sample. Ten patients with JNA were identified and underwent embolization prior to the endoscopic resection. In all cases the intraoperative blood salvage apparatus was used. Close post-operative monitoring was performed., Results: Homologous blood transfusion could be avoided in all cases. Postoperative monitoring revealed transient bacteraemia in two cases where the leukocyte filter was not used, but no evidence of septicaemia., Conclusions: Perioperative cell saver and autologous blood transfusion in endonasal JNA surgery is safe. Homologous blood transfusion can be avoided by using this technique. The use of cell salvage allows for single stage surgery without the need to abandon surgery due to excessive blood loss and its future use is promising.

Jehovah's Witnesses are a Fundamentalist Christian religious group well known for their door-to-door proselytism. As a result of their belief in spreading the word of god and converting others, Jehovah's Witness populations are growing across the globe. A primary element of Jehovah's Witness doctrine and other Fundamentalist groups is a mandate to not develop associations with people outside of the religion. As a result of this isolationism, many Fundamentalists who experience psychological distress may hesitate to obtain help from the mental health community. Their belief system and cultural values, including the practice of "disfellowshipping" or shunning members, influence the types of problems Jehovah's Witnesses and other Fundamentalists present with in therapy, obstacles to treatment, and issues that may arise within the therapeutic relationship.

The refusal of medical treatment is a recurrent topic in bioethical debates and Jehovah's Witnesses often constitute an exemplary case in this regard. The refusal of a potentially life-saving blood transfusion is a controversial choice that challenges the basic medical principle of acting in patients' best interests and often leads physicians to adopt paternalistic attitudes toward patients who refuse transfusion. However, neither existing bioethical nor historical and social sciences scholarship sufficiently addresses experiences of rank-and-file Witnesses in their dealings with the health care system. This article draws on results of a nine-month (2010, 2011-2012) ethnographic research on the relationship between religious, legal, ethical, and emotional issues emerging from the refusal of blood transfusions by Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany (mainly in Berlin). It shows how bioethical challenges are solved in practice by some German physicians and what they perceive to be the main goal of biomedicine: promoting the health or broadly understood well-being of patients. I argue that two different understandings of the concept of autonomy are at work here: autonomy based on reason and autonomy based on choice. The first is privileged by German physicians in line with a Kantian philosophical tradition and constitutional law; the second, paradoxically, is utilized by Jehovah's Witnesses in their version of the Anglo-Saxon Millian approach., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Jehovah's Witness refuse blood transfusion, but they accept organ transplantation, albumin, immunoglobulin, vaccines and clotting factors., Clinical Cases: We present 3 kidney transplants in Jehovah's Witness patients (two male and one female) without blood transfusion, with a mean age of 31.33 years and a mean body mass index of 20.99 kg/m(2). All patients underwent pretransplant peritoneal dialysis for an average of 52.3 months. Two transplants came from living donors and one from a deceased donor with a cold ischemia of 23 hours. The donors were two females and one male, with a mean age of 34.33 years. All patients received pretransplant erythropoietin and iron dextran and an intraoperative cell saver was used. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cells and serum creatinine levels, as well as the glomerular filtration at 24 months postransplant were stable. All patients received induction with basiliximab and initial immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors. One of the patients had a perirenal hematoma as a complication, which required a surgery 20 days post-transplant. At 5, 26 and 36 months postransplant the three patients are alive and with functional grafts., Conclusion: It is possible to perform kidney transplantation without transfusion in Jehovah's Witness, obtaining an acceptable global survival without acute rejection.

Blood transfusion-free complex congenital cardiac surgery in a neonate remains a challenge for multidisciplinary cardiac teams. At our institution, a 3.5 kg neonate, born to a family of Jehovah's Witnesses and postnatally diagnosed with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) and a small muscular ventricular septal defect, underwent a successful arterial switch operation without blood or platelet transfusion. Key points that contributed to success were optimal preoperative haematopoetic conditioning using erythropoietin and iron, a miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass circuit including a low prime volume oxygenator and crystalloid cardioplegia, and a well-coordinated multidisciplinary team. We report an overview of the literature regarding blood transfusion-free complex congenital cardiac surgery.

A 59-year-old woman who identified as a Jehovah's Witness was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma in the left adrenal gland, measuring 11 cm in diameter, during treatment for hypertension. Given her desire to undergo transfusion-less surgery for religious reasons, we obtained fully informed consent and had the patient sign both a transfusion refusal and exemption-from-responsibility certificate and received consent to instead use plasma derivatives, preoperative diluted autologous transfusion and intraoperative salvaged autologous transfusion. To manage anemia and maintain total blood volume, we preoperatively administered erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and alpha 1 blocker, respectively. During the left adrenalectomy, the patient underwent a transfusion of 400 mL of preoperative diluted autologous blood, ultimately receiving no intraoperative salvaged autologous blood. The operation took 4 hours 42 minutes, and the total volume of blood lost was 335 mL. In conclusion, to complete transfusion-less surgery for pheochromocytoma, it is necessary to have the patient sign a generic refusal form for transfusion and exemption-from-responsibility certificate as well as outline via another consent form exactly what sort of transfusion is permitted on a more specific basis. And doctors should become skilled in perioperative management and operative technique for pheochromocytoma and make the best effort by all alternative medical treatment in order to build trust confidence with a patient.

Background: Jehovah's Witness patients (Witnesses) who undergo cardiac surgery provide a unique natural experiment in severe blood conservation because anemia, transfusion, erythropoietin, and antifibrinolytics have attendant risks. Our objective was to compare morbidity and long-term survival of Witnesses undergoing cardiac surgery with a similarly matched group of patients who received transfusions., Methods: A total of 322 Witnesses and 87 453 non-Witnesses underwent cardiac surgery at our center from January 1, 1983, to January 1, 2011. All Witnesses prospectively refused blood transfusions. Among non-Witnesses, 38 467 did not receive blood transfusions and 48 986 did. We used propensity methods to match patient groups and parametric multiphase hazard methods to assess long-term survival. Our main outcome measures were postoperative morbidity complications, in-hospital mortality, and long-term survival., Results: Witnesses had fewer acute complications and shorter length of stay than matched patients who received transfusions: myocardial infarction, 0.31% vs 2.8% (P = . 01); additional operation for bleeding, 3.7% vs 7.1% (P = . 03); prolonged ventilation, 6% vs 16% (P < . 001); intensive care unit length of stay (15th, 50th, and 85th percentiles), 24, 25, and 72 vs 24, 48, and 162 hours (P < . 001); and hospital length of stay (15th, 50th, and 85th percentiles), 5, 7, and 11 vs 6, 8, and 16 days (P < . 001). Witnesses had better 1-year survival (95%; 95% CI, 93%-96%; vs 89%; 95% CI, 87%-90%; P = . 007) but similar 20-year survival (34%; 95% CI, 31%-38%; vs 32% 95% CI, 28%-35%; P = . 90)., Conclusions: Witnesses do not appear to be at increased risk for surgical complications or long-term mortality when comparisons are properly made by transfusion status. Thus, current extreme blood management strategies do not appear to place patients at heightened risk for reduced long-term survival.

Patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses frequently cross the path of nephrologists when they are acutely ill in the intensive care unit and stable in the long-term setting. It is important that we as a group have a rudimentary understanding of their philosophy about blood transfusion so that we can be proactive in their management. We use a case as a launching point to discuss the origins of the faith and the decision to refuse blood, as well as potential therapeutic strategies that can be used to improve the care of these patients. Improvement in our understanding as physicians will facilitate a more productive conversation with our patients about a complex and emotional issue., (Copyright © 2011 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) are a Christian faith, with an estimated 1.1 million members in the United States, well recognized for their refusal of blood and blood products. JW may not be considered for cardiac surgery due to perceived higher risks of morbidity and mortality. This study reviews our contemporary strategies and experience with JW undergoing routine and complex cardiac surgery., Methods: From November 2001 to April 2010, 40 JW were referred for cardiac surgery at a single quaternary referral institution. A retrospective analysis of demographic data, perioperative management, and clinical outcomes was examined. Published validated clinical risk calculator and model for prediction of transfusion were used to identify high-risk patients (risk of mortality >6% or probability of transfusion >0.80)., Results: The mean age was 70 (± 9.5) years with 21 men and 19 women. Patients were classified as high risk (45%, n = 18) and low risk (55%, n = 22) with demographics and comorbidities listed in Table 2. Operative procedures included: isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (n = 19), isolated valve replacement/repair (n = 7), valve/CABG (n = 7), reoperative valve replacement (n = 4), reoperative CABG (n = 2), valve/ascending aorta replacement (n = 1), and CABG/ascending aorta replacement (n = 1). All JW were evaluated by The Department of Bloodless Medicine to individually define acceptable blood management strategies. The mean preoperative hemoglobin was 14.1 g/dL (±1.6). Overall mortality was 5% (n = 2) all of which were in the high-risk group., Discussion: Using a multidisciplinary approach to blood management, JW can safely undergo routine and complex cardiac surgery with minimal morbidity and mortality., (© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We describe an unusual case of osteosarcoma in a Jehovah's Witness patient who underwent chemotherapy and major surgery without the need for blood transfusion. This 16-year-old girl presented with osteosarcoma of the right proximal tibia requiring proximal tibia resection, followed by endoprosthesis replacement. She was successfully treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery with the support of haematinics, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, recombinant erythropoietin and intraoperative normovolaemic haemodilution. This case illustrates the importance of maintaining effective, open communication and exploring acceptable therapeutic alternative in the management of these patients, whilst still respecting their beliefs.

In a special section of the american Annals of the Deaf, Deaf education and the Deaf community in South Africa are discussed. The special section is organized into 7 segments: a historical overview to establish context, the educational context, educators and learners, postgraduate education and employment, perspectives of Deaf children and their parents, sport and the arts, and spiritual lives and mental health. Throughout the entire section, however, the central focus is on the overall foundation (or lack thereof) of education for Deaf learners in South Africa.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that an individual's life is contained within blood, and that accepting transfusion of blood and blood products is sinful. The administration of blood to a Jehovah's Witness who has refused to accept transfusion may lead to criminal or civil proceedings. From an ethical viewpoint, if a rational adult who has been fully apprised of the consequences of not receiving this treatment persists in a refusal, the decision should be respected. Medical and nursing staff faced with such a problem should explore fully with the patient any transfusion alternatives that the patient might find acceptable, such as cell salvage, volume expanders, antifibrinolytics and pharmaceutical options, such as erythropoietin. This article examines the legal and consent issues around blood transfusion in Jehovah's Witness patients and their implications for medical and surgical management.

Background: Principle-based ethical theory is currently available to guide health care professionals in clinical decision-making when they face ethical dilemmas. These principles include respect for autonomy (RA), nonmaleficence (NM), beneficence (B), and distributive justice. It is, however,unknown which principles, if any, guide physicians and nurses in this decision-making. The goal of our study was to explore how anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, and nurse anesthetists reason in the face of a moral dilemma., Methods: By an anonymous survey we asked: Would you give a blood transfusion to a young, ASA I, Jehovah’s Witness who clearly refused transfusion, in a case of a life-threatening bleeding? What ethical principle did you apply in your decision?We presented this question before and after a 1-hour ethical tutorial about these principles., Results: Twenty-nine anesthesiologists, 41 surgeons, 21 surgical nurses, and 33 nurse anesthetists participated in our survey. We found that 59%, 30%, 29%, and 36% of anesthesiologists, surgeons,surgical nurses, and nurse anesthetists, respectively, would give a blood transfusion despite the patient’s demand. Nurses used B, surgeons NM, and anesthesiologists B and NM to justify transfusion. However, two among 11 anesthesiologists and five among 12 surgeons did not explain their choice. Those who tend to withhold blood transfusion overwhelmingly used RA as the principle behind this decision. Nine participants changed their view before and after the tutorial. There was no correlation between gender, age, and professional experience with the choice of principle. The average interest score for the tutorial was 74/100 for all participants after this ethical course., Conclusions: Anesthesiologists tend to transfuse Jehovah’s Witness patients more than did the others. Together with surgeons, they explicitly justify their decision-making less frequently when compared with nurses and nurse anesthetists. Further education in ethical theory is appreciated and needed.

A 23-month-old girl presented with heart failure from extremely severe sickle cell anemia. The family refused blood transfusion on religious grounds (Jehovah's Witness). Alternative options acceptable to this religion, such as iron, erythropoietin, or folic acid were rejected as useless in the particular situation of the child. The patient was transfused with Hemopure, a product that consists of polymerized bovine hemoglobin. This is the first case reported in the literature of a child transfused, in an emergency situation, with this product.

Purpose: To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of severe anemia in an older adult who presents the challenge of declining blood transfusion in a real-world scenario where critical thinking, evidence-based care, and collaboration with other providers must come together to serve this patient's unique needs., Data Sources: Extensive review of the scientific literature on anemia and the situation in which a patient refuses blood transfusion presented in a case study format., Conclusions: A thorough physical assessment, complete health history, and appropriate diagnostic workup should be used to distinguish the normal effects of senescence from the signs and symptoms of anemia. Common conditions that cause anemia in the elderly include chronic disease, iron deficiency, and gastrointestinal bleeding. These conditions may result in profound anemia. The challenge can be compounded when, because of religious tenets, a patient does not accept a blood transfusion. This case study challenges nurse practitioners to apply knowledge, seek guidance, and make appropriate referrals to care for a patient in order to render care within the parameters of the patient's belief system., Implications for Practice: The astute primary care provider recognizes that anemia is not an expected physiological change associated with aging but a manifestation of an underlying disease process. Fatigue, weakness, and dyspnea are all symptoms of anemia that may be overlooked and attributed to the aging process. Further, in keeping with the principles of autonomy and self-determination, it is the clinician's duty to work with all patients to restore them to a state of optimal health while respecting deeply held spiritual beliefs.

The majority of Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood product transfusion, even when it can be lifesaving. Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (RHuEPO) is a valuable adjunct in Jehovah's Witness patients undergoing surgery. A number of additional strategies, including acute normovolaemic haemodilution, intra-operative blood salvage and reinfusion, iron and folate supplementation are also utilized to avoid blood transfusion. Critically ill patients have blunted erythropoietin production and decreased endogenous iron availability. This case report reviews the treatment of anaemia in critically ill Jehovah's Witness patients after surgery and discusses the potential need for higher RHuEPO dosing strategies and longer duration of therapy.

Background: Hemoderivative and blood transfusions without proper medical indication bring uncertain benefits, increase health risks and adverse effects. It is necessary to also consider the patient's values and preferences and the denial to receive transfusions. A deficient medical evaluation and an unnecessary transfusion can generate untoward effects regarding patients' health and safety., Material and Methods: A retrospective, observational, and transverse study of 767 complaints for alleged denial of medical attention presented by Jehovah's Witness patients was undertaken, coupled with their denial to receive blood transfusions and their perception of the problem., Results: It was established that 95.6% of cases studied involved adult patients, while 4.4% involved underage patients, with a mean of 43 years. The majority of complaints appeared at the secondary level of medical attention, 64.5% came from social security institutions and 19% from private institutions. The motive for medical consultation was surgical in 91.9% cases. 98.7% of the complaints were due to a perceived denial of medical attention, associated to religious conviction. 1.3% of complaints were filed after having received blood transfusions, without proper patient consent. The major health problems were solved in different medical units from the beginning in 500 cases (65.2%). Medical care was provided in 450 cases, in private clinics, while 50 cases were cared for in public institutions without the need for transfusion., Conclusions: Several studies coincide on the high number of unnecessary or unjustified blood transfusions. To improve the quality of transfusion medicine steps should be taken to install specialized hospital committees, update the use of guidelines based on the best scientific evidence, as well as to respect patient autonomy.

The refusal of Jehovah's Witnesses to agree to blood or blood product transfusion based on religious beliefs is one of the most challenging conflictive issues health care givers have to face today. Such conflict is a by product of the ideological and religious diversity in society today. The perioperative care of such patients constitutes a genuine challenge for anesthesiologists and surgeons from technical, scientific, ethical, and legal perspectives. We review the reasons why Jehovah's Witnesses refuse transfusion and discuss the ethical, legal, and anesthetic aspects of their care. The literature up to August 2005 was reviewed by MEDLINE search. The following search terms were used: Jehovah's Witnesses, anesthesia (and anaesthesia), legislation and jurisprudence, ethics, blood transfusion, alternatives, anemia (and anaemia), erythropoietin, trigger, and critical care. To further cover ethical and legal aspects, we reviewed current laws in Spain and similar practice settings.