[The present possibilities for routine use of blood-saving measures from the anesthesiologic point of view--theoretical bases and clinical practice. IV: Supportive administration of erythropoietin and iron].

In clinical studies erythropoietin has been shown to effectively increase the autologous predeposit in patients undergoing elective surgery; however, the results demonstrating a reduction of homologous transfusion are not equally convincing. Besides the administration of erythropoietin in preoperative blood donation the necessity of which is to be questioned as a routine measure due to the efficacy of apparative-technical methods, more distinct and more specific indications probably emerge for this pharmacological support: preoperative administration of erythropoietin in anemic patients incapable of donating an autologous predeposit, anemic patients unable to undergo an elective surgical intervention due to the severity of the pre-existing anemia, patients who refuse autologous predeposit as well as homologous blood transfusions for religious reasons, and finally short term perioperative (pre- and/or postoperative) administration for reducing the period and the extent of postoperative anemia.