Category: Patient Information

Cord Blood Banking

Why more and more doctors recommend preserving your baby’s umbilical cord blood:

Your baby’s cord blood contains a life-saving resource called stem cells. Collected in a safe, painless procedure after birth, your baby’s cord blood stem cells can provide your family with distinct advantages in fighting certain diseases. In fact, many doctors and scientists believe that in the future, stem cells may also be used to treat brain damage and spinal cord injuries.

Here are some of the currently known benefits of cord blood stem cells:

• Cord blood stem cells have been used as part of the treatment therapy for nearly 40 life-threatening diseases, including Leukemia and other cancers, genetic diseases and immune system deficiencies.
• Researchers are now looking to cord blood for answers to Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes and Muscular Dystrophy.

How to determine the quality of a cord blood company:

You only get one chance to preserve your baby’s cord blood. That’s why it’s critical to select a high-quality cord blood company. Here are key questions to ask before selecting a cord blood company:

• What is their “transplant success” rate?
  (Above all, make sure their stored blood has a proven success record.)
• Does the company adhere to the highest industry standards?
• (Is the company AABB-accredited and, more importantly, is their laboratory CLIA-certified and registered with the FDA?)
• Does their service include bedside pick-up by a Private Medical
  Courier? 
(Some companies ship their cord blood via common package delivery companies.)
• Is the company committed to the future of cord blood? 
(Do they offer a Quality Guarantee? Are they committed to discovering new uses for cord blood by investing in their own research and development?)

Useful Links

CBR

Preparing for Surgery

Once you and your surgeon decide that surgery will help you, you’ll need to learn what preparing mentally and physically for surgery is an important step toward a successful result. Understanding the process and your role in it will help you recover more quickly and have fewer problems.

Working with Your Doctor

Before surgery, your surgeon will give you a complete physical examination to make sure you don’t have any conditions that could interfere with the surgery or its outcome. Routine tests, such as blood tests and X-rays, are usually performed a week before the surgery.

Discuss any medications you are taking with your doctor and your family physician to see which ones you should stop taking before surgery.

Discuss with your doctor options for preparing for potential blood replacement, including donating your own blood, medical interventions, and other treatments, prior to surgery.

If you are overweight, losing weight is advisable. However, you should not diet during the month before your surgery.

If you are taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications, you will need to stop taking them one week before surgery to minimize bleeding. If you smoke, you should stop or cut down to reduce your surgery risks and improve your recovery.

Have any tooth, gum, bladder or bowel problems treated before surgery to reduce the risk of infection later.

Eat a well-balanced diet, supplemented by a daily multivitamin with iron. Report any infections to your doctor. Surgery cannot be performed until all infections have cleared up.

Home Planning

Arrange for someone to help out with everyday tasks like cooking, shopping and laundry.

Put items that you use often within easy reach before surgery so you won’t have to reach and bend as often.

Remove all loose carpets and tape down electrical cords to avoid falls.

Make sure you have a stable chair with a firm seat cushion, a firm back and two arms.

Preparing for Procedure

If you are having Day Surgery, remember the following:

Have someone available to take you home, you will not be able to drive for at least 24 hours.

Do Not drink or eat anything in the car on the trip home. The combination of anesthesia, food, and car motion can quite often cause nausea or vomiting. After arriving home, wait until you are hungry before trying to eat. Begin with a light meal and try to avoid greasy food for the first 24 hours.

Take your pain medicine as directed. Begin the pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable, but before you are in severe pain. If you wait to take your pain medication until the pain is severe, you will have more difficulty controlling the pain.