Jehovah's Witnesses--how to encounter the transfusion issue.

Surgical management is different for Jehovah's Witnesses than in customary operations. Preoperative measures primarily aim at an optimal hematological condition, whereas intraoperative activities are directed towards minimizing blood loss. However, physicians taking care of Jehovah's Witnesses are not only faced with the difficulties of adequate treatment, but also by psychological and legal issues. Since the German legal system does not offer clear-cut legislation with regard to the Jehovah's Witnesses transfusion issue, guidelines have been offered on how to encounter his issue.