[An elderly patient without evidence of major organ damage following severe hemodilution caused by massive intraoperative hemorrhage].

An 82-year-old woman with hematemesis was admitted to our hospital. Diagnosis of bleeding from gastric ulcer was made and an emergency operation was performed. Although she fell into sudden hypotension, ventricular tachycardia and severe hemodilution lasting for 45 minutes (minimum hemoglobin concentration of 1.8 g x dl(-1)) caused by intraoperative massive hemorrhage, she recovered without any apparent postoperative damage in major organs. The major reasons for evading organ damage may be attributable to maintenance of blood pressure and circulatory volume, and to early medication for prevention of systemic inflammatory response syndrome or disseminated intravascular coagulation.