Orthopaedic Surgery in the Jehovah's Witness Patient: Clinical, Ethical, and Legal Considerations.

Abstract

➢ Jehovah's Witnesses refuse allogeneic blood products based on religious beliefs that create clinical, ethical, and legal challenges in orthopaedic surgery, requiring detailed perioperative planning and specific graft selection.➢ Detailed perioperative planning is particularly important for procedures with high intraoperative blood loss.➢ Graft selection must align with Jehovah's Witnesses patients' religious beliefs, with options including autografts, allografts, and synthetic materials; this requires shared decision-making between the patient and surgeon.➢ A multidisciplinary approach, integrating medical, ethical, and religious considerations, ensures optimal care, with innovative techniques and open dialogue being key to successful outcomes.