Medical knowledge about blood, its use in transfusions, and blood products has grown exponentially, as well as awareness about its safety, risks and costs. In a discipline where risks are proportional to benefits, medical specialists involved in open heart surgery need to have the latest information to make informed decisions. Dr. Attar's work reflects the contributors' direct interest and experience in blood and cardiac surgery introducing the latest information on blood and its use, hemostasis, blood conservation techniques and safety, the risks involved, alternatives to blood transfusions, the diagnosis and therapy of coagulopathy associated with cardiac surgery, and medicolegal aspects. Medical advances include the latest intraoperative diagnostic measures for platelet functions and therapy strategies for hemostasis abnormalities with cardiac surgery. This work is unique for its extensive and critical description of instruments and tests used intraoperatively, especially for the evaluation of the coagulation factors and platelets, the algorithms for transfusion guidelines and the detailed application of APROTININ and other antifibrinolytic agents in minimizing bleeding in cardiac surgery. Written for cardiac and transplant specialists -- from surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical nurses to perfusionists -- this valuable and timely reference thoroughly explores the subject of blood transfusions in open heart surgery, its clinical applications, the current status of blood substitutes and important legal aspects.