Cardiac Surgery in Children of Jehovah's Witnesses
AUTOR(ES)
Carmichael, Michael J.
RESUMO
A retrospective study was done of 73 consecutive Jehovah's Witness children less than 2 years of age who were operated on for lesions of the heart and major vessels. The series was divided into three groups: (1) neonates less than 31 days old, (2) children between 31 days and 2 years, and (3) children requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. The overall mortality rate for the series was 12.3% (9/73). Only three of the nine deaths were complicated by blood loss and anemia. The mortality rate for Group I was 18.2% (2/11). Only one of the two deaths was partly attributable to anemia. The overall mortality rate for Group II was 14.9% (7/47). Only two of these seven deaths were complicated by anemia. No deaths occurred among the 15 patients in Group III. Bloodless prime hemodilution techniques were used in all patients.
