[Patient blood management : Medical concept for increasing patient safety]

Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary evidence-based treatment model. Aims are to provide treatment of pre-existing or recently occureed deficits in blood volume and of substances that are important for erythropoiesis in patients, as well as the targeted administration of cellular and non-cellular blood products within reasonable and scientifically proven limits. The overall goal is therefore a safe therapy and complication-free course of the disease. PBM follows a strategy based on three pillars, which encompasses the aspects of optimization of anemia and hemoglobin, the handling of bleeding and the use of patient-related resources.