Bloodless Care Program

The laparoscope allows abdominal surgery to be performed through a series of tiny incisions. Temple’s surgeons insert a fiber optic scope into the patient's body through a small hole, enabling them to visualize internal organs with highly magnified cameras. Surgery is then performed through keyhole-sized incision using miniaturized instruments. This type of minimally invasive surgery has the potential to almost eliminate blood loss and reduce recovery times.

The da Vinci® Surgical System robot offers an enhanced version of laparoscopic surgery. The surgeon sits at a console a few feet from the patient. Using miniaturized instruments while visualizing the surgical field with three-dimensional vision, the surgeon can perform complex procedures while avoiding most blood loss that would occur during traditional procedures.

The cell saver is a machine that cleanses the patient's lost blood cells and returns them to the body through an intravenous line. The blood flows through a circuit that washes out debris and other unwanted blood components before concentrating the red blood cells and returning them to the patient.

The heart-lung machine is used during heart surgery. Because the patient's heart beat must be suspended, the heart-lung machine acts as a temporary heart while surgery is performed. All of the patient's blood is diverted through the machine where tubing oxygenates the blood and removes waste. The blood is then pumped back into the patient's circulatory system.

The electric cautery device uses electricity-generated heat to cut and seal tissues, including blood vessels, during a surgical procedure. The device can make precise cuts while limiting blood loss.

A laser uses beams of light to cut through and seal tissues. Because the laser fully seals the blood vessels, potential blood loss is greatly reduced.

A CO2 laser uses carbon dioxide beams to cut through and seal tissue. As with a traditional laser, blood loss is reduced.