Blood Conservation Program
How We Conserve Blood
At Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH), dedicated doctors, nurses and other professional staff members work together to provide you with a variety of alternative treatment options.
Depending on your surgery or medical condition, your doctor may choose one or more of the following methods. Talk to your doctor to see if any of these treatments would be right for you:
- IV iron to help your body make new red blood cells.
- Supplements such as vitamin C, folic acid and vitamin B12 to help your body absorb iron and assist in the production of new red blood cells.
- Synthetic erythropoietin, a medication that helps your bone marrow increase red blood cell production.
- Microsampling, taking the smallest possible amount of blood for blood testing.
- Cell Saver, a device used to collect blood lost during surgery. Your blood is then filtered and returned to your body.
- Platelet-rich plasma, a substance made from your own blood during surgery and applied to your surgical area to lessen blood loss and help you heal faster.
- Surgical devices. A variety of blood-saving tools and techniques are available, including specialized scalpels and laparoscopic and/or robotic surgery.
For more information on the blood conservation methods used at BMH, contact the blood conservation coordinator at 843-522-5293 by email.
