A revolutionary device introduced in Bahrain could end the need for people to donate blood, said the founder of a leading hospital in Bahrain.

The German Orthopaedic Hospital has invested in a highly sophisticated 'Cell Saver Device' that collects, cleans and returns blood lost in surgery back to the patient, said Professor Dr Heinz Roettinger.

'Patients don't need to use donated blood, so the risks of receiving tainted blood and infections such as HIV or Hepatitis are eliminated,' he added.

'By using the patient's own blood there is also no antibody reaction and even in emergency cases the patient's own blood is available.'

The Cell Saver Device works by collecting the patient's blood that would otherwise be lost during surgery, then pumps it through a device that cleans and purifies the blood and, depending on the process used, pumps the blood back into the patient's system almost simultaneously.

'It's like diverting the blood flow, reenergizing it and then bringing it back into the circulatory system,' said Dr Roettinger.

Patient recovery times are also expected to improve as a result of the device.

'With minimal blood loss and the availability of fresh, vital, clean red blood cells without storage, the patient's recovery process is also greatly improved,' said Dr Roettinger.

An official at Bahrain's Blood Bank confirmed the country was discouraging the establishment of private blood banks to avoid turning the humanitarian effort into a business. – TradeArabia News Service