The problem of node deletion in the hB -tree, a multi-attribute point data indexing method, is addressed. The hB -tree is a modiied hB-tree LS90] that provides concurrency and recovery and can be integrated in a general purpose Database Management System. First, we describe the hB -tree and we present various strategies for splitting its nodes and posting the index terms. Then, for each splitting/posting algorithm, we present an eecient node deletion algorithm that requires a recoverable action involving exactly three hB -tree nodes: two of them are updated (the parent node and a node that absorbs the contents of the sparse node), and one is deallocated (the sparse node).