Blood Bank

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Blood must be available for all heart surgeries. For open-heart surgery, three units of blood are necessary. More blood is often needed during the period after the surgery.

If you wish, blood can be donated specifically to your child by family members and friends who have your child's same blood type. This is called directed donor blood. Those wishing to donate will need to do so at least 3 business days before the actual surgery.

For more information about directed donor blood, call the donor center at the University of Utah Medical Center at (801) 581-2794. All blood products are screened for HIV (AIDS), hepatitis viruses, and other bacteria and viruses to lessen the risk of passing on those diseases.