Anemia is a condition that can affect how well a surgery goes. Here is some background information on anemia, its symptoms, and how it can be treated.
One of the resulting side effects that can sometimes be experienced by patients who have undergone surgery in which they have lost a lot of blood is anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the amount of hemoglobin or hematocrit is lower than it should be in the blood.
Hemoglobin is the term that refers to the red blood cells that are responsible for taking oxygen to various parts of the body. This condition can last for a short period of time, result from other health conditions, or it can become a chronic issue.
Those who develop a mild case may not even show any of the symptoms. Or if they do, the symptoms may be mild enough that they are unrecognizable by someone who is not looking for them.
On the other hand, those who have a severe case may experience symptoms that hinder their ability to perform daily tasks or to perform common activities. The most common symptoms of this condition is tiredness and shortness of breath.
Research has found that anemia is a condition that about 56 percent of all patients have before they go in for surgery. The reason for this condition is usually related to the health problem they are receiving surgery for or related to other health issues.
However, following surgery this number jumps up to 90 percent of all patients. In other words, of all patients coming out of surgery, 90 percent usually have some form of anemia.
This condition is usually found in patients who are suffering from cancer or who have other chronic diseases. It is usually caused by the inflammation that is associated with these diseases.
This is because the inflamed area will generally give off certain proteins which impact the body's iron metabolism, bone marrow, and erythropoietin production by the kidneys. Erythropoietin is a hormone that is responsible for controlling how many red blood cells the body will produce.
The red blood cells are responsible for carrying the hemoglobin. As are result, when your body lacks sufficient red blood cells, not enough hemoglobin is carried around to deliver oxygen to all the parts of your body.
However, anemia can also be found in patients previous to surgery who are suffering from internal bleeding or who have lost a lot of blood. This condition following surgery is usually related to bleeding episodes or frequent blood tests that occur throughout the procedure.
If this condition is left untreated, there may be complications following the surgical procedure including infections, a longer need for breathing assistance, or even a higher risk for death. In addition, the patients who have this condition before entering the procedure may have a greater need for blood transfusions throughout the procedure.
They may also be required to stay at the hospital longer under the supervision of attentive nurses. These patients also have a higher risk of dying during or following the operation.
However, most cases of anemia can be properly treated. By properly taking care of this condition when it manifests itself could be responsible for saving many different lives.
This is particularly the case if it is treated before the procedure when it is present if possible. The most reliable way to find out whether a person is suffering from this condition is to perform a test on his or her blood that counts the number of red cells present.
This test should be able to tell you whether there is sufficient hemoglobin or hematocrit present as well. If you have this test performed, your doctor will be able to tell you whether or not these levels are normal or if you need to do something to fix them.
Again, symptoms usually only present themselves when the condition is classified as moderate to severe. These side effects may include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, chest pain, dizziness, irritability, numbness and coldness in extremities, trouble breathing, a faster than normal heartbeat, and headaches.
One of the reasons why it is important to have a regular, extensive check up with your doctor is so that you can be checked for anemia. When the condition is identified, then you can take steps to remedy it.
There are some medications that are available which can help encourage your body to boost the number of red blood cells that it produces. These medications are often used to treat this condition before surgery occurs.
They have significantly reduced the number of transfusions that have been needed by patients involved in operations through which they are expected to lose a lot of blood. Of course, to be the most effective they generally need three or four weeks to build up to full strength.
This means that you should be tested for this condition well before the date of your operation so that you can receive the proper treatment when it is possible. If you have any concerns, it is important to talk about these with your doctor.
Author Resource:-
Tommy Greene has worked in surgical equipment sales for the past 15 years. He has great advice and information on an Electrosurgical Unit.
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