Can an autologous donor donate blood on Monday, if he is having surgery on Friday?

The correct answer is based on established guidelines that dictate the time frame in which an autologous donor may safely donate blood prior to surgery. Generally, autologous donors are allowed to donate blood up to 72 hours before a scheduled surgery. This ensures that the recipient has enough time to process and prepare the donated blood for use during the surgical procedure.

Choosing to allow donation up to 72 hours before surgery focuses on minimizing any impacts on the donor's health while ensuring that there is still sufficient time for the blood to be tested, stored, and made available for the surgery if needed. This is particularly critical in the context of autologous donations, where the blood is intended specifically for the donor's own use, meaning that careful attention must be paid to timing to avoid any risk to the donor during their surgery.

The other options suggest either longer waiting periods or restrictions that do not align with standard practices for blood donation, which reinforces the accuracy of the correct answer.