Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Blood transfusion persists as an important risk of open heart operations despite the recent introduction of a variety of new pharmacologic agents and blood conservation techniques as independent therapies. A comprehensive multimodality blood conservation program was developed to minimize this risk. ⋯ These results suggest that even complex open heart operations can be performed without homologous transfusion by optimally applying available blood conservation techniques. More generalized application of these measures may increasingly allow "bloodless" operations in all patients.