Method: B.M was a 45yr old lady of the Jehovah Witness faith who sustained multiple Maxillofacial Injuries following Road Traffic Accident with associated anaemia secondary to blood loss. At presentation, she had mild head injury with loss of consciousness, extensive lacerations over the scalp, nasion and right supra-orbital region, nasal complex fracture, Lefort II fracture of the right mid facial skeleton, right condylar neck fracture of the mandible and injury to the right eye with resultant blindness. She had severe anaemia {Packed Cell Volume- 16%} secondary to blood loss. Concomitants injuries were blunt chest injury and displaced right radioulnar fractures. Patient was managed with subcutaneous injection of Erythropoietin 5,000 I.U 3 times weekly for two weeks and double dose haematinics (Iron, Folic Acid, B complex and Vitamin C) for two weeks. Follow up was by serial Packed Cell Volume until the value of 35% was obtained. Patient subsequently had Reduction and Immobilization of the fractures and was discharged home with Packed Cell Volume of 38%.
Result: The use of autologous transfusion and auto transfusion as well as blood substitutes has been advocated in current clinical practice and this is particularly useful in preventing infections and in patient that refuse blood transfusion on religious ground. This will also eliminate all the problems associated with blood transfusion such as transfusion reactions.
Conclusion: This case report suggests that patient who refuses blood transfusion can benefit from the use of blood substitutes.