Should I Donate My Own Blood Before Surgery For Prostate Cancer?

March 16, 2009 -- Question: Should I donate my own blood before surgery for prostate cancer?

Answer: In the hands of an experienced surgeon, the amount blood loss during surgery is typically low and even lower for the robotic procedure. I typically do not recommend that patients donate their own blood prior to surgery because it can actually lower your blood counts and cause some anemia. Some urologists however will prefer that their patients donate their blood before surgery, so I suggest that you speak with your surgeon in order to determine his or her preference prior to your surgery.