Blood management.

CONTEXT 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. OBJECTIVE To review the strategies that exploit combinations of surgical and medical techniques, technologic devices, and pharmaceuticals, along with an interdisciplinary team approach that combines specialists who are expert at minimizing allogeneic blood transfusion. DATA SOURCES A search on Medline and PubMed for the terms English and humans used in articles published within the last 20 years. CONCLUSIONS Blood management is most successful when multidisciplinary, proactive programs are in place so that these strategies can be individualized to specific patients.