Problems in Transfusion Therapy

I have two patients in the hospital today. Both have sickle cell disease, and questions about the hazards of transfusion therapy have been raised in both their cases. Two articles in this issue of the Journal explore such questions but do not provide the answers.A 53-year-old woman with sickle cell disease needed a hip prosthesis revised — a moderately long operation during which she would be expected to receive three or four units of blood. Had such a procedure been available 15 years ago, the risks would have been very high. Today they are acceptable, partly because of the . . .