Spine Surgery Procedures

Reducing Blood Loss in Spine Surgery

If you’ve been scheduled by your doctor for spine surgery, you’re probably interested in learning more about what will happen during the procedure and how it may affect your health and rehabilitation. The information here is designed to help patients and their families better understand the value of blood preservation and the importance of controlling blood loss during spine surgery.

Medtronic Advanced Energy was founded on the idea that reducing and preventing blood loss during surgery has huge benefits for surgeons and patients. In recent years, Medtronic has teamed up with surgeons and hospitals to help provide a way to reduce the need for blood transfusions during surgery.

What Causes Blood Loss During Surgery

Before performing your spine surgery, your surgeon must first gain access to the surgical site by cutting through tissue from the skin down to the spinal column. This tissue contains many small vessels that can bleed when they are cut. Your surgeon will try to stop the bleeding using surgical instruments, but it is difficult to stop all bleeding, especially in the small vessels of the muscle and soft tissue.

The Aquamantys® System is Medtronic Advanced Energy's signature product line and is commonly used in spine surgery as well as knee and hip replacements and orthopedic trauma cases. The Aquamantys System uses patented Transcollation® technology – a combination of radio frequency (RF) energy (a form of electrical energy used in medical applications) and saline (salt and sterile water) – to stop the flow of blood during surgery. The technical term for this process is called haemostatic sealing, and it can help prevent further blood loss during the procedure.

Spine surgeons have found that using the Aquamantys System during their procedures has also improved their ability to see more clearly.*,1-2 This is because reducing the blood loss results in a clearer, drier surgical field. In very involved procedures such as spinal deformity and scoliosis treatments, one result may be improved surgical time.1,3 If your surgeon uses the Aquamantys System, it may reduce surgical time and thus anesthesia time by decreasing blood loss and improving visualization.3

Why Decreasing Blood Loss Is Important

Keeping the proper amount of blood inside your body is crucial. One of the primary functions of blood is to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Oxygen gives you the energy to perform physical activities like walking, lifting objects, and exercising. It also gives your internal organs the energy to perform tasks like digesting food, breathing, healing, and thinking.

If you lose a lot of blood during surgery, it can lead to a condition called anemia– a reduction in the red blood cells, which are a component of blood that carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Anemia can make you feel tired and weak. It can also cause chest pain, dizziness and problems concentrating. The effects caused by anemia often add to the length of hospital stays for patients after their surgery. For patients who may already be anemic before surgery, decreasing blood loss during and after the procedure is even more important.

Some doctors have patients donate their own blood before surgery to be given back if anemia occurs. This is called an autologous donation. In contrast, most of the blood products utilized after surgery are from local blood banks and are donated from eligible individuals in the community.

Blood Transfusions

To replenish the blood lost during surgery, you may need to receive a blood transfusion. A blood transfusion is a procedure in which blood is introduced into your body through an intravenous (IV) line. Although they are common procedures and often saves lives, it is important to understand that blood transfusions carry some risks. Some of the more common risks include fever, allergic reaction and in rare cases a virus or infectious disease. Transfusions have also been shown to lengthen hospital stays for patients after surgery.**,4

For many surgeons, using the Aquamantys System during their cases has reduced the need for blood transfusions.***,1 In instances where a transfusion is still needed, the Aquamantys System may reduce the number of blood units required.2

If you’ve been scheduled for spine surgery, it’s important to know how your surgeon manages blood loss during the procedure. Check with your spine surgeon for more information about blood transfusions or how blood loss is managed during surgery.

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.

To locate a surgeon currently using the Aquamantys System, use our Surgeon Locator.

1. Mankin KP. Use of Bipolar Sealing Technology in Spinal Deformity Surgery Can Dramatically Reduce Blood Loss and Transfusion Rates. SABM poster (2009).

2. Small HN, Chisholm SD. Use of a new bipolar sealing technology to reduce blood loss during instrumented lumbar fusion surgery. Data on file.

3. Snyder BD, Hedequist DJ, Shannon EG, Hemostatic efficacy of bipolar wound sealer as adjunct to wound management in children with neuromuscular scoliosis (abstract). Annual Meeting of the

4. Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, 2007.

5. Covance report; 2008 MedPAR database based on ICD-9-CM Codes for 100% of Medicare beneficiaries. Data on file.

*Data established in a case study.
** Covance, MedPAR Report, length of stay has not been specifically correlated with the Aquamantys System
*** Performance has not been established in all surgical procedures.