Publisher's Synopsis
The impetus for writing this book is the widespread interest of surgeons, anesthesiologists, patients, and the public at large in the utilization of blood transfusions, the risks involved, especially immunodeficiency syndrome and hepatitis C, the alternatives to the use of blood transfusions, and the increasing number of lawsuits brought against blood banks and cardiac surgeons.
The Book is organized into four sections.
Section I discusses the basic hemostatic alterations brought about with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass in open heart surgery, both in the pediatric population, as well as in adults.
Section II discusses the evolving concepts in blood transfusions and the various strategies of blood conservation.
Section III discusses the methods utilized for the diagnosis of coagulopathy associatied with cardiac surgery, as well as therapeutic maneuveres to correct the hemostatic abnormalities. The specific alterations in coagulation and fibrinolysis associated with heart transplantation, heart assist devices and the artificial heart are also discussed.
Section IV discusses the medicolegal aspects of blood transfusions.
