Transfusion therapy has changed in the past several years, largely as a result of improved knowledge of the physIology of hypovolemia, development of plasma expenders and plastic blood-collection equipment, the possibility of blood mediated infection and also shortage of whole blood Supply. In Korea, the difficulty of getting blood is remarkably increasing recently. According to recent studies, the patient seems can undergo rapid loss of 1000 to 2000mL, or up to 40 percent of their blood volume without developing irreversible shock, and that blood pressure can be maintained by the administration of saline fluids, lactated Ringer solution being presently most in vogue. If there is further blood loss, it may be necessary to augument the bodys circulating hemoglobin, but this can be done by the administration of packed cells. During 1968 and 1970 at St. Mary's Hospital took place 6904 general anesthesia. Blood transfusion or these cases were analysed. In the past several years, we have tried to reduce the whole blood transfusion during surgery and to use lactated Ringer's solution and plasma expanders like hemaccel and macrodex, etc. In this review there was significant change in intraoperative blood and fluid replacement and the trend of decreasing blood transfusion and increasing lactated Ringers solution and plasma expander was noticed. Supply of packed cell is required to improve the transfusion technique in future.
Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Transfusion ; Blood Volume ; Dextrans ; Humans ; Hypovolemia ; Korea ; Physiology ; Plasma ; Plastics ; Shock