What does blood donation have to do with gastroenterology?
There’s a common misconception that blood donations are only used to treat people in hospital emergency rooms, but there are many fields of medicine that rely on blood products.
Dr Steven Nicolaides is a consultant gastroenterologist with a special interest in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In his work, he can see patients with all manner of ailments affecting the bowel, pancreas and liver. For Steven, being able to help patients during these difficult times is very rewarding, but in some cases, it just wouldn’t be possible without the donations of countless blood donors.
“Without blood products, we would not be able to support people who develop life-threatening bleeding of the gastrointestinal system..." - Gastroenterologist, Dr Steven Nicolaides
While we tend to associate gastroenterology with the kind of infections that cause vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms, our guts can also play host to life-threatening conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Each year, Australian hospitals care for over 6,000 patients experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding. If left untreated, these bleeds can lead to significant blood loss. Thankfully, doctors like Steven are well-versed in treating these conditions with the help of blood products provided by donors. In an emergency, doctors will administer a combination of red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelets to help stem the flow of blood and stabilise the patient, but that’s not the only role donations play.
In some hospitals, up to 12% of all red blood cells are used in gastroenterology, this can include the treatment of internal bleeding, but blood products are also required to perform surgery and more routine operations such as endoscopy. For Steven, the impact of blood donations is not lost. “Without blood products, we would not be able to support people who develop life-threatening bleeding of the gastrointestinal system and [would] not be able to perform the procedures required…to save lives.”
Recalling one such event, Steven explains how packed red cells made all the difference to a patient in need. “One night, I was on call as a gastroenterology registrar when I was called by the emergency department who referred a gentleman presenting with significant blood loss from a condition afflicting their oesophagus. They were critically unwell and required 13 units of packed red blood cells and an emergency procedure overnight to save their life.”
That night, like countless others, Steven and his team were able to save a life thanks to the generosity of strangers who chose to give blood. So, if you want to help doctors like Steven save lives, book a donation. And if you donate between 8 April – Sun 12 May you’ll receive a limited-edition artist-designed bandage celebrating Australia’s Healthcare workers.
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