 BLOOD DONATION BASICS
CLARIFYING SOME MYTHS
WAYS TO DONATE
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There are several ways to donate blood. Until recently, you could only donate whole blood, but now you can also donate blood components. With modern equipments and technologically advances, specific blood components such as plasma, platelets and red cells can be taken from donors and given to patients requiring only those components |
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DONATING WHOLE BLOOD
Whole blood donation has always been the conventional way to donate blood. In this process after a brief screening and physical check, blood will be drawn through a sterile needle inserted into your vein (usually inside the elbow). The needle is attached to a sterile plastic bag where the blood is collected. The blood collection is usually completed in less than 10 minutes.
Depending on the weight either 350 or 450 ml of blood is collected.
. After 10 minutes, the needle is removed and a sterile bandage is put on your arm. You can then relax and enjoy some refreshments. Your body quickly replenishes the blood that you've given. To help your body replace blood, eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of liquids for at least 24 hours.
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You could save as many as four lives with one single donation. Donated blood is separated into four different components: red cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate. Red cells are used for surgical patients while plasma is used in treatment of shock and burn injuries. Platelets are vital for cancer patients whose bone marrows don't produce enough platelets to help the blood clot properly. The final component, cryoprecipitate, is used to treat those whose blood lacks this vital blood clotting protein |
DONATING PLATELETS
Platelets are often required for cancer patients and those undergoing bone marrow transplants. Platelets are the blood component that stops bleeding. Platelet transfusion can mean the difference between life and death. Until recently, the only way to collect enough platelets for a single transfusion was to take the units of blood given by 5 to 10 blood donors, separate the platelets from the blood using a centrifuge and combine the platelets.
Today, through a simple procedure called Apheresis, the required number of platelets for a transfusion can be collected from a single donor. |
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| Apheresis (a-fe-re' sis) is a special blood donation process that allows you to give just one part of your blood - platelets. As with any blood donation, there is no risk with platelet donation. Apheresis is done by inserting a sterile needle into a vein in one arm. As the blood flows through a sterile tube, platelets are removed. Simultaneously, your red blood cells and plasma are returned to you in the same arm |
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