Pre-operative Autologous Donation (PAD) is the collection and storage of a patient's own blood. This is usually done 3 or 4 weeks before an operation.
 | In order to increase the volume of blood collected and stored, sometimes supplements and medications such as Erythropoietin (EPO) are given to stimulate the production of red blood cells.
|
| Not all patients can pre-donate blood. Those in poor health, or with serious heart disease are advised not to pre-donate. Jehovah's Witnesses do not pre-donate their blood.
|
| Pre-operative donated blood is subject to the same complications as stored allogeneic blood. Including:
- It may have a decreased ability to release oxygen
- There may be resultant breakdown products
- It quickly loses its clotting factors
- There is a risk of bacterial infection
|
