I'm starting to see some preliminary bills and I have my entire medical record from Mayo. We're starting to work through these.
I was told, pre-surgery, that I would not be transfused - other than with my own blood, [edit - ie - capturing and recycling during surgery, not autologous tranfusion], unless my hemoglobin dropped below 8.
After surgery, we couldn't seem to get a straight answer from anyone as to whether I had been transfused or not. This was upsetting, as you can imagine. It seems like a simple question.
Here's what I can reconstruct from the paperwork that I have:
Day before surgery - Hemoglobin = 14.7
Surgery Day:
Approximately 7:30 - I'm moved from pre-op to the operating room (I remember this)
07:36 - Two units leukoreduced red blood cells transfused (?? - This is what the paperwork says - seems a bit early. Surely nothing has happened yet.)
08:41 - Activated clot time = 138, fibrinogen = 200
08:46 - Platelets = 229
08:52 - 1.44 units of intraoperative salvaged RBC transfused. I'd guess this is [edit - my recycled] blood.
08:54 - Activated clot time = 592. Normal range is 84 - 139 s.
09:40 - Activated clot time = 498
10:12 - Activated clot time = 516
10:46 - Activated clot time = 107
10:49 - Platelet test result = 125
11:18 - Two units of plasma transfused and four units of Cryoprecipitated Antihaemophilic Factor transfused per medical record. The bill says twenty units of the Cryo AHF - WOW - that's nearly $10k. Obviously, one of these numbers is wrong.
11:28 - Hemoglobin = 8.7. This is the first hemoglobin test that I can find on the day of surgery.
12:30 - My wife was called told that the surgery was completed.
13:05 - Hemoglobin = 12.5, platelets = 135
I have calls into both the surgeons office and the billing office in an attempt to get answers to these inconsistencies. I certainly understand that I may have needed blood during the surgery. I did hope that I would not be transfused due to the increased risk involved. I know we're not living in the early 80's and hopefully the blood bank screenings are robust these days.
I do wish that we had been able to get a more detailed answer to some of our questions during our time at the hospital.
Your comments are appreciated.
I was told, pre-surgery, that I would not be transfused - other than with my own blood, [edit - ie - capturing and recycling during surgery, not autologous tranfusion], unless my hemoglobin dropped below 8.
After surgery, we couldn't seem to get a straight answer from anyone as to whether I had been transfused or not. This was upsetting, as you can imagine. It seems like a simple question.
Here's what I can reconstruct from the paperwork that I have:
Day before surgery - Hemoglobin = 14.7
Surgery Day:
Approximately 7:30 - I'm moved from pre-op to the operating room (I remember this)
07:36 - Two units leukoreduced red blood cells transfused (?? - This is what the paperwork says - seems a bit early. Surely nothing has happened yet.)
08:41 - Activated clot time = 138, fibrinogen = 200
08:46 - Platelets = 229
08:52 - 1.44 units of intraoperative salvaged RBC transfused. I'd guess this is [edit - my recycled] blood.
08:54 - Activated clot time = 592. Normal range is 84 - 139 s.
09:40 - Activated clot time = 498
10:12 - Activated clot time = 516
10:46 - Activated clot time = 107
10:49 - Platelet test result = 125
11:18 - Two units of plasma transfused and four units of Cryoprecipitated Antihaemophilic Factor transfused per medical record. The bill says twenty units of the Cryo AHF - WOW - that's nearly $10k. Obviously, one of these numbers is wrong.
11:28 - Hemoglobin = 8.7. This is the first hemoglobin test that I can find on the day of surgery.
12:30 - My wife was called told that the surgery was completed.
13:05 - Hemoglobin = 12.5, platelets = 135
I have calls into both the surgeons office and the billing office in an attempt to get answers to these inconsistencies. I certainly understand that I may have needed blood during the surgery. I did hope that I would not be transfused due to the increased risk involved. I know we're not living in the early 80's and hopefully the blood bank screenings are robust these days.
I do wish that we had been able to get a more detailed answer to some of our questions during our time at the hospital.
Your comments are appreciated.
