? ? Sickle cell anemia is a disease of the red blood cell that results in anemia and repeated bouts of decreased blood flow to vital organs resulting in progressive damage to many organs including the kidneys, lungs, and brain. The transfusion of red blood cells can ameliorate many of these complications, but can be associated with both acute and chronic complications. The objective of the proposed Best Practices in Transfusion Medicine for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is to develop explicit clinical pathways for the use of red blood cells in SCD patients. Use of these pathways will improve the care for these patients. (End of Abstract) ? ? ?
