[Use of erythrocyte sediments in a regional hospital].

At a medium sized hospital, efforts were made to economize therapeutic use of blood by replacing whole blood by cell concentrates with a hematocrit of 75%. Transfusion of red cell concentrates was increased from 5 to 30% within one year. The number of blood units transfused to individual patients was generally very small and it should therefore be possible to increase the use of red cell concentrates substantially above this figure without creating problems. The clinical advantages of transfusing red cell concentrates containing a negligible amount of plasma are discussed.