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I am looking into the possibility of having spinal fusion for severe lumbar scoliosis. I practice a religion that does not allow blood transfusions. My surgeon tells me blood loss is a possible complication of this procedure. Should I just give up on the idea and just learn to live with the pain?

Blood loss is a potential problem for anyone having surgery of any kind. Problems after spinal fusion surgery have been linked with excessive blood loss. Loss of blood is more likely to be a problem as the number of spinal levels fused increases.

The average number of lumbar segments fused for degenerative scoliosis is four. More than five segments fused is a risk factor for bleeding. Blood loss does not seem to be related to the patient's age or other health problems.

Surgeons are finding more and more ways to prevent or minimize blood loss during surgery. This is called the bloddless technique. Careful surgical technique is an important part of this prevention. For example, avoiding cutting blood vessels can reduce blood loss.

Some surgeries can be done with a minimally invasive method. Blood loss is reduced with minimally invasive surgery. This is done by making a smaller incision and cutting through less soft tissue.

More advanced technology has also helped. This includes the gamma knife and harmonic scalpel. The surgeon can make more precise, smaller cuts causing less tissue damage.

There are also ways to save fluid and blood lost by the patient and return it to the same person. Since this is a closed circuit, it is usually acceptable to all religous groups. Ask your surgeon about the surgical technique used in your area. Find out if bloodless medicine is available for you.

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