[Erythrocyte concentrates as substitutes of whole blood; changes in transfusion methods in a regional hospital (author's transl)].

In Switzerland the amount of blood donations is determined by the demands for plasma; as a result there is a surplus of erythrocyte concentrates for which more uses should be found. Trials in a regional general hospital proved that these concentrates can be advantageously employed in the field of surgery and anasthesia: due to close cooperation between the clinical department and the blood donor sevice the demand for erythrocyte concentrates rose from 5 per cent to 80 per cent within 5 years.