Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine
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We provide an overview of the principles of blood management: the appropriate use of blood and blood components, with a goal of minimizing their use. ⋯ Blood management is most successful when multidisciplinary, proactive programs are in place so that these strategies can be individualized to specific patients.
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Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. · May 2007
ReviewOxygen therapeutics: pursuit of an alternative to the donor red blood cell.
There is no true substitute for the many functions of human red blood cells, and synthetic products will not replace the need for blood donation in the foreseeable future. Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers have many characteristics that would serve as a useful adjunct to red cells in clinical settings. Over time, these technologies have the potential to dramatically reshape the practice of transfusion medicine. ⋯ Recognition of the true impact of red cell substitutes is still several years away. The most compelling products, hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, have potential use in trauma, providing immediate oxygen-carrying support in the face of alloantibodies or autoantibodies, and in other clinical situations in which long-term survival of red cells is not essential. In the interim, efforts should be focused on enhancing the current blood supply system while supporting ongoing and planned blood substitute research efforts, including trials assessing novel clinical indications for these products.