It is normal for some bleeding after laparoscopic surgery to occur; however, severe bleeding may require a blood transfusion or an open abdominal surgery. If the bleeding after laparoscopic surgery is severe enough to require a transfusion, you could contract an illness during the transfusion. However, blood products are carefully screened for HIV and other diseases, so the chances of this occurring are quite rare.
Bleeding After Laparoscopic Surgery: An Overview
A small amount of bleeding during laparoscopic surgery is normal. There can be several causes of bleeding, and the treatment will vary, depending on the cause and your individual situation. In most cases, the bleeding will stop on its own, or it can be easily taken care of during the laparoscopic surgery.
If you have serious bleeding, or if there is serious damage to a major blood vessel, the laparoscopic surgery may need to be an open surgery to control the bleeding and prevent loss of life. This means that a larger incision (cut) will be made in the abdomen (stomach) so that your doctor can view the inside of your abdomen better. Sometimes an injury may not appear at the time of the operation, but may show up later. This may require another surgery to repair the damage.
Bleeding After Laparoscopic Surgery: Transfusion
If bleeding with laparoscopic surgery is severe, a transfusion of blood or blood products may be required.
Because the blood and blood products are actively screened for various diseases and problems -- including
AIDS and hepatitis, among others -- blood transfusions are generally safe. However, there is an extremely rare chance that you may contract an illness secondary to a transfusion. The estimated risk of
contracting hepatitis C from blood transfusions is about 1 in 100,000, the risk of
hepatitis B is about 1 in 200,000, and the risk of
HIV is about 1 in 600,000.
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