Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Patterson Street, Professional Building, 4th floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.
This article discusses the impact of anemia in the context of the perioperative setting. Relevant data from animal and human studies, the adaptive mechanisms in anemia, and current views on transfusion triggers are evaluated. Recommendations are provided for the anesthesiologist for transfusion of red blood cells.