BLOOD TRANSFUSION

Here we are with a new post on a widely used treatment procedure, the BLOOD TRANSFUSION .This post will give u a brief idea on how the blood transfusions are carried out.

COMPONENTS OF BLOOD:

·              Red cells carry oxygen and help remove waste products

·        White cells help your body fight infections

·        Plasma is the liquid part of your blood

·        Platelets help your blood clot properly

A transfusion provides the part or parts of blood you need, with red blood cells being the most commonly transfused. You can also receive whole blood, which contains all the parts, but whole blood transfusions aren't common.

Why Would One Need a Blood Transfusion?

There are many reasons one might need to receive a blood transfusion. These are just a few of them:

• You’ve had major surgery or a serious injury and you need to replace lost blood

• You’ve experienced bleeding in your digestive tract from an ulcer or other condition

• You have an illness like leukemia or kidney disease that causes anemia (not enough healthy red blood cells)

• You’ve received cancer treatments like radiation .

• You have a blood disorder or severe liver problems

 

Common types of blood transfusions:

·     Red Blood Cell Transfusions: A patient suffering from an iron deficiency or anemia, a condition where the body does not have enough red blood cells, may receive a red blood cell transfusion. This type of transfusion increases a patient’s hemoglobin and iron levels, while improving the amount of oxygen in the body.

·      Platelet Transfusions: Platelets are a component of blood that stops the body from bleeding. Often patients suffering from leukemia, or other types of cancer, have lower platelet counts as a side effect of their chemotherapy treatments. Patients who have illnesses that prevent the body from making enough platelets have to get regular transfusions to stay healthy.

·     Plasma Transfusions: Plasma is the liquid part of the body’s blood. It contains important proteins and other substances crucial to one’s overall health. Plasma transfusions are used for patients with liver failure, severe infections, and serious burns.

Process

After taking consent from the patient and explaining him all the pros and cons,the following steps are performed.

Before the Procedure

A nurse or doctor will check the patient’s blood pressure, pulse, and temperature before starting the transfusion.

During the Procedure

The blood transfusion procedure begins when an intravenous (IV) line is placed onto the patient’s body. It is through the IV that the patient will begin to receive the new blood. Depending on the amount of blood, a simple blood transfusion can take between 1-4 hours.

After the Procedure

Following the completion of the blood transfusion, the patient’s vital signs are checked and the IV is removed. For a couple of days after the transfusion, patients may experience some soreness near the puncture for the IV. The patient’s doctor may request a check-up after the transfusion to see the body’s reaction to the new blood.

 

Blood Donor Criteria

Contraindications include:

• Megaloblastic anaemia (vitamin B12 or folate deficiency - transfusion may cause heart failure and death).

• Iron deficiency anaemia

• Platelet transfusions are highly contraindicated in ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura), HIT (Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia) and other platelet disorders.

 

 

Complications of Blood Transfusion

Blood transfusions usually occur without complications. When complications do occur, they're typically mild.