Jehovah’s Witness survives severe favism complications: Advance provisions of treatment and new challenges for the physicians

The management of an acute hemolytic event in a patient suffering from favism is based on transfusion support to ensure adequate tissue oxygenation. If this measure could not be pursued, in case of severe anemia the risk of death from multiorgan failure would be relevant. Most of Jehovah’s Witness decline transfusion of whole blood and its main components, even in life-threatening situations. In this context, the treatment of severe anemia in these patients still represents a challenge from both medical and legal stand points. Authors report a case of a Jehovah’s Witness suffering from favism who refused blood transfusion, surviving a severe event of critical anemia associated with acute renal failure, thanks to the application of alternative therapies. It is essential that clinicians know the medico-legal aspects in such situations and are able to act promptly to support the patient’s vital functions, by complying with his/her wishes.

Download Full-text

Severe anemia in the Jehovah's Witness: case report and discussion

American Journal of Critical Care ◽

10.4037/ajcc1993.2.3.256 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 256-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

SL Collins ◽

GA Timberlake

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Blood Loss ◽

Severe Anemia ◽

Blood Products ◽

Jehovah’S Witness ◽

Airplane Crash ◽

Jehovah's Witness ◽

Life Threatening

Major blood loss following trauma is common, but severe anemia is generally not life-threatening when managed with the administration of blood and blood products. Severe anemia becomes particularly challenging and potentially lethal when the patient is a Jehovah's Witness, for whom receiving a transfusion is contrary to religious principles. This case report describes the management and hospital course of a Jehovah's Witness who was seriously injured in an airplane crash.

Download Full-text

Life-Threatening Pancreatitis in Jehovah’s Witness Patients With Severe Anemia Treated Without Transfusions and by Interventional Radiology Techniques

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine ◽

10.1177/0885066618782161 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 165-170

Author(s):

Patrick Kishi ◽

Eric vanSonnenberg ◽

Misa Stroker

Keyword(s):

Interventional Radiology ◽

Blood Product ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Blood Transfusions ◽

Severe Anemia ◽

Medical Specialties ◽

Jehovah’S Witness ◽

Jehovah's Witness ◽

Life Saving ◽

Life Threatening

Blood transfusions in anemic patients frequently are used for critically ill patients as a life-saving therapeutic maneuver. Jehovah’s Witness (JW) patients typically refuse blood transfusions due to religious beliefs. Numerous clinical reports, in a wide spectrum of medical specialties, have shown no greater morbidity or mortality in JW patients or others who refused transfusions compared to those patients who accept transfusions. We report our experience with two JW patients who presented with severe anemia and life-threatening pancreatitis. Despite undergoing percutaneous drainages by interventional radiology (IR) for complex pancreatic collections (and other IR drainages), neither patient suffered any adverse effect from the IR procedures, even though they refused blood transfusions. Our experience suggests that IR procedures also may be successful with this more limited blood product protocol.

Download Full-text