“Bloodless procedures have proven to be safer than blood transfusion because they help eliminate complications resulting from transfusions such as immunosuppression, infection, diseases from emerging pathogens for which our blood supply is not yet tested,” said Dr. Ford. “The hospital stay is also shorter for our bloodless patients, a cost savings for the patient and the institution,” she continues. Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia is one of the pioneering centers for bloodless medicine and surgery.

Dr. Ford likens the weeks-old blood often used for transfusions to “water from a dirty fish tank.” Depleted of most of its oxygen-carrying capacity, the stored blood is not maximally beneficial to any patient.

Prior to surgery, Dr. Ford prepares patients carefully - using medicines to build red blood cells, and managing their hemoglobin count. A higher hemoglobin level lowers the risk of transfusion.

Dr. Ford has performed the largest number of successful stem cell transplants without blood transfusion of anyone in the world. Among the procedures for which Dr. Ford has prepared patients for bloodless medicine and surgery are cardiothoracic surgery; radical hysterectomies, prostatectomies, cystectomies, and repair of aneurysms, chemotherapy management, and total hip and knee surgery.

The bloodless team at Pennsylvania Hospital has saved the lives of many Jehovah’s Witness patients who otherwise would not have received care. “We see patients from all over the country who come to us for our expertise in bloodless medicine. The needs of the Jehovah’s Witness community have helped us develop practices that can not only save their lives, but can also benefit the entire patient community,” explained Dr. Ford.

About Pennsylvania Hospital
Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first -- was founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. Today, the 515-bed acute care facility offers a full-range of diagnostic and therapeutic medical services and is a major teaching and clinical research institution. The hospital has over 25,000 admissions each year, including over 5,000 births. With a national reputation in areas such as orthopaedics, cardiac care, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and urology as well as obstetrics, high-risk maternal and fetal services, neonatology, and behavioral health, the campus also includes specialty treatment centers such as the Joan Karnell Cancer Center, the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, the PENN Neurological Institute and the radiosurgical Gamma Knife Center. Pennsylvania Hospital is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and is located in the historic Society Hill district of Philadelphia.