ABSTRACT
In cardiac surgery large amounts of allogeneic blood transfusions are still utilized every year. The inherent risk of transmission of viral and immunological diseases has forced us to reduce the use of allogeneic blood and blood products as far as possible. Reductions in hematocrit and arterial oxygen content are not deleterious, because compensating mechanisms are able to guarantee organ blood flow, tissue oxygenation, and systemic oxygen transport. Thus, blood/blood component therapy should be restricted to those patients presenting severe anemia or coagulation disorders, and nonblood alternatives for volume replacement have to be seriously considered.
