Preoperative exchange transfusion in sickle cell anemia.

Preoperative transfusion therapy is largely responsible for the recently improved morbidity and mortality in patients with sickle cell anemia undergoing surgery. The transfusion techniques recommended are several. Fifty patients have undergone 67 operations over the past 15 yr. The complications encountered in patients receiving simple transfusion or partial exchange transfusion do not differ. There remains theoretic advantage in the use of preoperative partial exchange transfusion with quantitation of hemoglobin S.