What is a Blood Transfusion and its Purpose & procedure

Blood caries oxygen and nutrients all our body tissues and remove carbon-di-oxide and other waste products from them. Blood consist liquid portion and cellular components. Blood cells are made in bone marrow.

Blood have two types i.e. blood types OR blood group.

Blood transfusion is donating and receiving blood and blood components.

  

A person who gives blood, called donor.

A patient who need blood and offered blood, called recipient.        

Blood transfusion essential in many medical conditions -

• Major surgery 
• Organ transplant 
• Bleeding disorder such as hemophilia
• Blood loss due to trauma 
• Sever anemia 
• Leukemia 
• Various condition of cancer 
• Those disorder, which destroy blood cells and bone marrow 
• Rh - incompatibility in new born babies 
• Major accidental injury    

Physiology of pain

Stored whole blood and by separating its components are also stored. Blood is separated from its components by the help of centrifuge. According patients need, blood and blood products are offered. The following elements are separated from the blood -

• Red blood cells (RBC)
• White Blood cells (WBC)
• Platelets 
• Plasma
• Clotting factor  

We have describe about Blood transfusion chart in my previous post.

If a patient needs blood then the blood transmission process is used.

Blood Transmission Process  

In blood transmission process involve in two mechanism i.e. blood is taken from donor and the needy is given blood.

1. Blood Donation  
2. Receive blood 

Both of the above processes must be completed by a registered medical practitioner. It is necessary to take many precautions in these processes.

Cardiovascular system

Blood Donation

Blood donation is a good social work which save's people life. Stored the donated blood on a proper temperature and helps patients when needed. If patients need blood transfusion, blood cross matching and blood type is required to identify.

Procedure of Blood Donation      

• Before you donate blood, you should eat regular meal, drink and avoid exercise.   
• You should completed donor health check questionnaire.
• Private health screening 
• WHO recommended some pathology test before blood transfusion. 

1. Blood type (ABO blood group system)
2. Hemoglobin 
3. HIV
4. Hepatitis B
5. Hepatitis C
6. Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)
7. Plasmodium (Malaria) 

To complete all these tests, a little blood is taken from your arm or wrist. If all the tests are well then you can donate blood.

• Drink 500 ml of water before blood donating which will help your being during and after your donation blood.
• A cuff will be put on your upper arm and a fluffy ball in your hand to maintain pressure during donating blood.      
• Prepare the site using FDA approved aseptic technique. your arm will be cleaned before the needle is inserted in vein.   
• Needle inserted at aseptic place in your arm (Venipuncture), check the position the needle tape the tubing to the donor's arm to hold needle in place .
• Monitor the patients throughout the blood collecting process.
• Monitor Blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and breathing during blood collecting process
• Once we have reached the full 470 ml donation.
• The donor should never be left unattended 
• Mix blood and anticoagulant periodically during the procedure. 
• The needle will be removed and a sterile dressing will be secured on your punctured arm.    
• Heat seal the filled tubing into segments stored at 1 to 6 degree Celsius  
• The metal clip is used to seal tubing distal to the needle. 
•  You should relax at least 10-15 minute and have drink plenty of fluids to stay properly hydrated
• Avoids carrying heavy objects on the punctured arm.    

Receive blood

Blood transfusion is needed in many medical conditions such as anemia, major surgery, major injury and other disorder which destroy blood cells and bone marrow.  

Procedure of receiving blood 

• To began the transfusion, Intravenous needle (IV needle) will be inserted into a vein in your hand or arm.
• A bag containing donor blood will be hang on saline stand.
• Blood drip slowly to tube attached to the IV needle.
• IV needle allowing to a run through your vein into your bloodstream.
• Throughout the transfusion, patient temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing will be monitoring.
• After the bag empty, If patient require more blood than other blood bag attached to the IV tube.
• Transfusion completed needle will be removed and a sterile dressing will be secured on your punctured arm.    

Normal weight for blood transfusion ?

Donor weight should be at least 110 pounds for safe blood donation.  

Normal hemoglobin for blood transfusion ?

Blood recipient Hemoglobin level - A transfusion is done most often when the hemoglobin level is 8 g/dL or less.

Blood donor hemoglobin level - 

• Male hemoglobin level for blood donation must have a minimum 13.0g/dL. 
• Female hemoglobin level for blood donation must have a minimum 12.5g/dL. 

What are the age and height requirements to donate blood ?

Blood donor age must be 16 year or older  

Male height for blood donation must be at least 4'10" and weight 110 pound. 

Female height for blood donation must be at least 5'5" and weight 110 pound. 

What is the procedure for a blood transfusion ?

At the beginning of this post we have explained the procedure of blood transfusion.  

How much blood can we donate at one time ?

When you donate whole blood one pint is collected. blood transfusion is depending upon gender, weight, height and total blood volume. you can give up to 2 units in an automated blood collection.

How many mL is in 1 unit of blood ?

One unit of blood is ~525 mL.    

What do you mean by 1 pint of blood ? 

One pint of blood is 473 or 568 mL. 

Pint term used by non-medical people 

Healthy human body can contain 9-12 pints of blood.

How do you increase blood hemoglobin ?

Intake of iron-rich foods such as eggs, beans, lean meat and seafood.

Increase in diet vitamin B6, B 12, folic acid and vitamin c containing food which are fish, cereals, peas, citrus fruits, nuts etc).

  

How long do you stay in the hospital after a blood transfusion ?

To entire blood donation process takes about 60 minutes or 1 hour. Time consuming in complete donor health check questionnaire, Private health screening and WHO recommended some pathology test before blood transfusion. Blood collect will normally take around 5-10 minutes to complete. after blood collection, donor should relax at least 15 minutes and have plenty drink.     

Is blood donation safe ?

Blood donation is completely safe.

Does blood donation hurt ?

No. During venipuncture (insert needle in vein) hurt no more than a pinch.    

How long does it take to feel better after a blood transfusion ?

After blood collection, you should relax 15 min and drink plenty drink to stay properly hydrated. after your refreshment you feel better but avoids carrying heavy objects on the punctured arm.    

What are the side effects of having a blood transfusion ?

For Donor During blood donation, keep monitoring donor blood pressure, heart rate and breathing.   

For Receiver Occasionally there is some immunity related medical problem at the time of blood receipt or after some time. Immunity related medical problems are cause reaction between antigens and antibodies. Medimolt will discuss Immunity related medical problems and antigens and antibodies reaction in our next post i.e Hazards of blood transfusion.  

How long does it take to have a blood transfusion ?

5-10 minutes only.

Can having a blood transfusion change you ?

No.