You have choices in your care — including bloodless surgery.

At Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, we offer surgery options using bloodless techniques and procedures. Our Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Center is open to patients who, for religious or personal reasons, wish to avoid the use of blood transfusions during surgery.

Our comprehensive bloodless medical center is the only one of its kind in San Diego County — and one of only 125 hospitals in the U.S. to offer such services. Since 2003, we have successfully cared for more than 5,000 patients with blood conservation techniques.

Transfusion-free alternatives.

We perform more than 90 percent of all surgeries without blood transfusions. By using progressive techniques to minimize blood loss, our team of highly skilled blood management specialists are able to retain an ample supply of the patient's own blood, eliminating the need for donor blood.

State-of-the-art bloodless medicine and surgery technology.

At Sharp, we are committed to meeting the special and personal needs of all patients. Our bloodless surgery procedures range from routine appendectomies to complex orthopedic and open-heart surgeries. Bloodless therapies include:

• Filtering and recirculating your own blood using a cell-saver machine
• Operating laparoscopically to reduce incision sizes
• Stimulating blood-cell production through the use of certain pharmaceuticals, such as Epogen/Procrit
• Using electrocautery and other tools to reduce blood loss
• Enhancing blood circulation using volume expanders
• Use of the da Vinci® robotic surgical system
• Use of medications to promote clotting, which may prevent excessive bleeding during surgery

We also provide a variety of bloodless medicine patient resources (PDFs) so you can be comfortable in your choice:

• An Alternative to Blood Transfusions: Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Center Brochure -English version
  -Spanish version
• 5 Things Physicians and Patients Should Question -English version
  -Spanish version
• Directive for Blood Fractions/Blood Conservation Equipment -English version
  -Spanish version
  You will need to complete this form ahead of any procedure where you refuse a blood transfusion. 

Learn more about bloodless medicine at Sharp.

To learn more or to find a San Diego blood management specialist, call us at 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm.