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Outcomes of Cardiac Surgery in Jehovah’s Witness Patients: A Review
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  • Aimee-Louise Chambault,
  • Louise Brown,
  • Sophie Mellor,
  • Amer Harky
Aimee-Louise Chambault
University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences

Corresponding Author:akc641@student.bham.ac.uk

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Louise Brown
University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences
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Sophie Mellor
University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences
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Amer Harky
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
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Abstract

Objective: To review current literature evidence on outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness patients. Methods: A comprehensive electronic literature search was done from inception to 20th August 2020 identifying articles that discussed optimisation/outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness either as a solo cohort or as comparative to non-Jehovah’s Witnesses. No limit was placed on time and place of publication and the evidence has been summarized in a narrative manner within the manuscript. Results: The outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness patients has been described, and also compared, to non-Witness patients within a number of case reports, case series and comparative cohort studies. Many of these studies note no significant differences between outcomes of the two groups for a number of variables, including mortality. Pre-, intra- and post-operative optimisation of the patients by a multidisciplinary team is important to achieve good outcomes. Conclusion: The use of a bloodless protocol for Jehovah’s Witnesses does not appear to significantly impact upon clinical outcomes when compared to non-Witness patients, and it has even been suggested that a bloodless approach could provide advantages to all patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Larger cohorts and research across multiple centres into the long term outcomes of these patients is required.
16 Dec 2020Published in Perfusion on pages 026765912098037. 10.1177/0267659120980375