Basic Info on Blood Transfusion

What is a blood transfusion?

When a child has low blood levels or is missing a part of the blood that the body needs, she is given blood through an IV. This is called a blood transfusion. Donated blood, which is stored in sterile plastic sacks, is given to the child through a needle or catheter in the vein. The process, which only takes place if the doctors confirm the donated blood is compatible, can take a few hours.

What are blood products?

Blood products are made from the blood of people who give, or donate, their blood. These people are called blood donors. The blood donated by a donor is called whole blood. Whole blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which are cells mixed with a pale yellow liquid called plasma. Special processes are used to separate whole blood into its different parts. There are 2 main types of blood products — blood components and plasma fractions. Blood components are made from the blood of a single donor. Plasma fractions are made from the blood of many donors (for more information, see section below titled “Plasma Fractions”).

What are blood components?

Up to 4 blood components may be made from one unit of donated whole blood:

  1. red blood cells
  2. platelets
  3. fresh frozen plasma
  4. cryoprecipitate

What are red blood cells used for?

Red blood cells are used to increase the amount of oxygen transported in the body. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. Your child may get a transfusion of red blood cells if she has lost blood or has anaemia. People who have anaemia do not have enough red blood cells.

What are platelets used for?

Platelets help the blood to clump, or clot, by sticking to blood vessels that have been cut. Your child may bleed and need a platelet transfusion if she has a low number of platelets or if she has platelets that are not working properly.

What are fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate used for?

Plasma is the liquid part of the blood that has proteins such as clotting factors in it. Clotting factors, along with platelets, cause the blood to clump and stop flowing out of blood vessels that have been cut. Fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate are made from plasma and are used to treat children who do not have enough clotting factors in their blood. Fresh frozen plasma has all of the different kinds of clotting factors.

Why isn’t whole blood used for a blood transfusion?

Each part of the blood has a different function. Separating the blood into parts lets patients get only the specific part or parts of the blood that they need. So a whole blood donation can be used for several patients.

Why does your child need a blood transfusion?

Transfusions of red blood cells are given to increase the oxygen supply to the body after a loss of blood. This could be due to an operation, accident, or bleeding. Transfusions of red blood cells are also used to treat certain types of anaemia. If your child has anaemia, she does not have enough red blood cells in her blood.

Transfusions of platelets and plasma are used to stop or prevent bleeding. For example, your child may have bleeding because she had an operation or treatment for a heart defect. Your child will only get the specific part or parts of the blood that she needs for the treatment.

Where does donated blood come from?

Blood comes from a blood bank that collects blood from volunteers. These volunteers answer a long questionnaire and have an interview and a physical examination, or check-up, to make sure that they are healthy before they are allowed to donate blood.

How is donated blood tested?

All blood that is donated is tested for various infectious diseases (diseases that can be spread from one person to another). Any donated blood that does not pass the tests for these infections is not used for transfusion. Plasma fractions from donated blood are tested and then treated with heat or chemicals to kill viruses such as the AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses, just in case the testing may have missed them. This happens very rarely.

What reactions might your child have during a blood transfusion?

Some patients have mild reactions to a blood transfusion, such as having a skin rash or a fever, or feeling cold. A patient may have a hemolytic transfusion reaction, which happens when the red blood cells in the blood transfusion break up. Hemolytic transfusion reactions are very rare and can be a serious problem. Your child will be watched closely during the blood transfusion.

While plasma fractions do not cause hemolytic transfusion reactions, they may cause allergic reactions. Some of the signs of an allergic reaction are having a fever, headaches, and hives, which are raised red itchy areas on the skin, feeling sick to the stomach, and throwing up. Most patients do not react to a blood transfusion. But if your child has a reaction, please tell your child’s nurse right away.

Is it possible that your child’s body could react to the donated blood?

Yes. Donated blood is foreign to your child’s body. In some cases, the white blood cells in the donated blood can attack the tissues of the patient who received the blood, a condition called graft vs. host (GVH) disease. It pits the blood (the graft) against the recipient (the host). Although this is a rare disease, it almost always causes death when it happens. All directed donor blood is irradiated to kill any white blood cells prior to transfusion to prevent this complication.

What are the risks of a blood transfusion?

The safety standards for the blood supply are very high. However, there is still a very small chance of getting a disease or virus from donated blood. The methods of checking the donors and the blood used make the chance of getting a unit of blood with a virus in it very small.

Like any medical treatment, a blood transfusion has some risks. But when your child needs blood as part of her treatment, the benefits should be greater than the risks. A blood transfusion is suggested only when it is a necessary part of your child’s treatment. Talk to your child’s doctor before you decide if your child should have a blood transfusion. Then compare the risks of your child having a blood transfusion with the risks of your child not having one.

What happens if your child needs a blood transfusion?

Your child’s doctor will explain to you why your child needs a blood transfusion, what the benefits and risks are, and if there are any other treatments your child could have instead of a blood transfusion.

Will you be told that your child has had a blood transfusion?

Yes. Your child’s hospital record will have information about your child’s blood transfusion. For the first transfusion, you will get a transfusion card that lists your child’s name, hospital number, blood group, and the date of the blood transfusion. This is part of your child’s medical record that you should keep always. This card will be issued even if only albumin is used.

Are there alternatives to the use of donated blood?

Instead of a transfusion of blood from volunteers, in some cases, your child may be able to have:

  • an autologous blood donation (your child donates her own blood)
  • haemodilution (your child’s blood is taken and replaced with liquids)
  • blood salvage (your child’s blood is collected during or after the operation)
  • medicines

Source: About Kids Health

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