Severe or prolonged pain episodes. Frequent pain episodes. Chronic respiratory insufficiency. High dose intravascular contrast studies. Surgery with general anesthesia.
Pain episodes without absolute or relative indications.
Minor surgery under local or short general anesthesia. Chronic bone disease or organ failure without other indications. All patients with absolute criteria for transfusion should be admitted to initiate transfusion therapy. All patients requiring acute, manual exchange. Patients with CHF or uncontrolled hypertension.