Special consideration is given to cardiac, renal, hepatic, and fetal circulation. Pertinent physiologic aspects of the red blood cell and oxygen, carbon dioxide transport are discussed in this area. The chapter on white blood cells heralds the immunologic part of the text, which proceeds with topics such as antigen antibody and complement system. Coverage includes the major histocompatibility complex molecules for blood transfusion as well as solid organ and bone marrow transplantation. Concluding this section is succinct and pertinent information on the immune system.
Subsequent chapters deal with transfusion therapy.
Again the author proceeds carefully and systematically from the basic concepts of plasma function to platelets and their role in hemostasis, coagulation components and ABO, and the Rh blood group system. In each topic, the function and indication in various disorders are explained. Of particular interest is the chapter on the adverse events in transfusion, which details symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment. Moreover, three charts provide a handy summary to this chapter. This is followed by transfusion and disease transmission, which is handled in detail.