by NJ501 13 Replies latest watchtower medical
Hi all,
I've been doing some research on blood transfusions and fractions.
I found out a patient can donate their own blood, so it can be used for elective surgery...I was wondering if theirs really any difference between a blood transfusion of your own blood and the blood salvage procedure. I think quite similar since its just a re-transfusion of your own blood.
What are your thoughts? Would it be acceptable by the JW doctrine?
According to Watchtower Doctrine storing one's blood is not acceptable but cell salvage is. It is because cell salvage is considered as a closed circuit and the blood doesn't officially leave the body flow, per Watchtower view. It is believed that if you store the blood than it has left the circulation of the body. That is the official understanding per them. Other people can express their views and opinions on this.
NJ501: I think quite similar since its just a re-transfusion of your own blood.
It isn't the same.
When you get an autologous transfusion, where you have pre-donated your own blood, you get your blood back. Simple. Give. Store. Give. Store. And maybe give again. Store. Transfuse same blood back into patient. (or not). This type of blood transfusion is straightforward but isn't used much - it was popular back in the early days of the HIV/Aids scare. However, the administrative burden added substantial cost to this method of donating. And, not everyone is a candidate for this type of specialized service. But, it can be done and still is in some cases.
Cell salvage is quite different than that. In cell salvage, the shed blood from a surgical site is suctioned up and put into a canister to be processed and cleaned. And, then the packed red cells that are left are re-tranfused into the patient. The filtration process strips away platelets and other components of the blood that are needed for coagulation. The only part of the blood that a patient gets returned to them is the oxygen-carrying cells - the packed red cells.
And, it is by examining that process, cell salvage and filtration/processing, that a person begins to understand why the JWs are allowed those "minor" fractions of blood.
However, the WT never does explain how that "pouring on the ground" part of the bible verse applies in the use of cell salvage machines.
This court case describes a cell salvage procedure being used during a surgery:
Thanks for the replies it has helped increase my understanding now.
Autologous transfusions are a no-no in JW-land. Your blood can circulate outside your body provided it is continuous and is not "stored" (which in JW-land is tantamount to "pouring it out on the ground").
As a youngster, I wondered if it would be okay to have large tubes that continuously circulated your blood during surgery so surgeons could still draw upon the blood if needed - it could solve the problem of storing your blood but not being allowed to use it. My JW grandmother was facing surgery at that time and I was worried about her (it turned out to be a successful no-blood operation).
I asked one of the local elders my question and he just looked at me and walked away. I think I was 8 at the time. I told my mother about my question and the elder's reaction and she said he was probably very busy at the time. She couldn't answer my question about the tubes and blood and didn't seem at all worried about it.
BTW, I acknowledge my childhood idea about the tubes was incredibly naïve.
It's funny the things you recall that troubled you as a kid and adults' reactions.
I thought I read somewhere that you could store your blood if it was for no longer then 24 hrs
Yes, there is a big difference.
The elders with a financial interest in the distribution of blood-salvage equipment make no money in autologous transfusions.
Well the wts has shares in other 'blood-letting' companies why not blood salvage equipment?
Not very positive I know sorry.
I`m going back over 30 years ago when the understanding then of the scriptures relating to blood was:
"blood was to be poured out on the ground ,and not to be used for anything "
Blood and Bone Fertilizer was not even to be used by a JW on their gardens ,it was a DF offence. to continually use it.
Jehovah God has not revised the Bible these past 2000 years .
How is it ,noting that by their own admission the GB is not inspired or directed by Holy Spirit they can re-interpret scriptures to allow fractions ? of this and that ? and ban other components of blood ? as not acceptable ?
When did Jehovah intervene and tell them about fractions /components of blood and what is acceptable and what is not.?
Especially so when they admit they can make mistakes ? their not perfect ?
They are not inspired by Jehovah ,their not directed by Jehovah ,so where do they get off telling us what is acceptable to God and what is not ?
