[Preventing blood transfusion in a severely burned Jehovah's witness]

The treatment rationale of a burn victim (35% TBSA) who was child of Jehova's witnesses is described. Following a combined approach including erythropoetin and blood saving surgical techniques we were able to excise and graft the burn areas without blood transfusion. An extremely low hemoglobin of 3.4 g/dl was tolerated postoperatively and showed an increase to 10.9 g/dl 25 days later when the child was dismissed from the burn unit in stable condition. Possibilities to minimize blood loss and to avoid blood transfusions are discussed.