Here, two of the foremost cardiothoracic surgeons have brought together many of the top cardiologists and haematologists to produce the most current reference source on all aspects of blood conservation, from an overall clinical approach to the use of erythropoietin and the benefits of post-operative blood salvage. The subject matter covers numerous areas involved in the preoperative considerations in cardiac surgery, the intraoperative decision-making in cardiac surgery, postoperative bleeding and management and a section on the algorithm for bloodless surgery used at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.