Abstract
An inquiry about red blood cell transfusion for the past one year in Japan and an examination about red cell transfusion were analyzed.
The following results were obtained: (1) Red cell concentrate to whole blood ratio was high (1<) in Kinki, Kyushu, and Chugoku district, but low (1>) in other districts in Japan. (2) Red cell component transfusion was used more frequently in blood diseases, but less frequently in other diseases. (3) It was considered that fresh, whole blood trans-fusion was neccessary for open heart surgery, but red cell concentrates were used for the other surgical operations in most cases. (4) Adverse effects of blood transfusion occurred more frequently (1.5 times) by whole blood transfusion than by red cell concentrate or red cell component transfusion.
These results suggest that recognition of safety transfusion and definite indication for red cell component transfusion were necessary for the development of red cell transfusion.
