As a surgeon, one need not look far to see the rapidly growing interest and new trends in blood product management. Because of the relatively recent dramas of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C, there is, not surprisingly, great interest in avoiding both known and yet to be discovered infectious agents. In addition, it has become increasingly clear that allogeneic transfusions carry significant immunologic consequences that would best be avoided. As observed in the first pages of this text, two thirds of the 12 million U of blood transfused annually in the United States are used for surgery. Preoperative donation is already a mandate and salvage strategies are becoming the standard of care. Thus, it is clearly appropriate that surgeons be not only well informed on this subject but also actively involved in this new technology. Autotransfusion: Therapeutic Principles and Trends, edited by Roy Lawson Tawes, Jr, MD, with contributions from numerous experts, is a comprehensive compilation of all topics pertinent to this growing field. With major sections reasonably divided, it covers the spectrum from the basic physiologic and technical principles through the most specific circumstances faced by the clinician, graciously including a section on the new terminology generated by this field.