A blood transfusion is the transfer of blood or blood products from one person (donor) into another person's bloodstream (recipient). It is a safe, common procedure in which blood is given to you through an intravenous (IV) line in one of your blood vessels. Blood transfusions are done to replace blood lost during surgery or due to a serious injury.
This is usually done as a life saving maneuver to replace blood cells or blood products lost through severe bleeding, during surgery when blood loss occurs or to increase the blood count in an anemic patient.
If during the transfusion you have symptoms of shortness of breath, itching, fever or chills or just not feeling well, alert the person transfusing the blood immediately.
These are some of the benefits your donated blood can provide for patients in need :
1. Increase low hemoglobin levels: low hemoglobin can cause damage to body organs and tissues due to low oxygen levels.
2. Help stop bleeding: bleeding may not be controlled if platelets and/or clotting factors are low.
3. Keep the heart pumping: low blood volume can lead to low pressure and the heart may not be able maintain the circulation of blood.
4. Help with serious blood infections when other methods fail. Granulocyte transfusions, for example.
5. Provide red cells and platelets when the bone marrow is compromised: as with blood cancers, bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy.
6. Provide red cells and platelets for patients with blood disorders: such as sickle cell, thallasemias, myelodysplasia, aplastic anemia.
7. Save someone’s life.
Risks and Complications
Most blood transfusions go very smoothly. However, mild problems and, very rarely, serious problems can occur.
1. Allergic Reactions
Some people have allergic reactions to the blood given during transfusions. This can happen even when the blood given is the right blood type.
Allergic reactions can be mild or severe. Symptoms can include:
- Anxiety
- Chest and/or back pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fever, chills, flushing, and clammy skin
- A quick pulse or low blood pressure
- Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach)
2. Viruses and Infectious Diseases
Some infectious agents, such as HIV, can survive in blood and infect the person receiving the blood transfusion. To keep blood safe, blood banks carefully screen donated blood.
The risk of catching a virus from a blood transfusion is very low.
HIV. Your risk of getting HIV from a blood transfusion is lower than your risk of getting killed by lightning.
3. Fever
You may get a sudden fever during or within a day of your blood transfusion. This is usually your body's normal response to white blood cells in the donated blood. Over-the-counter fever medicine usually will treat the fever.
4. Iron Overload
Getting many blood transfusions can cause too much iron to build up in your blood (iron overload). People who have a blood disorder like thalassemia, which requires multiple transfusions, are at risk for iron overload. Iron overload can damage your liver, heart, and other parts of your body.
5. Acute Immune Hemolytic Reaction
Acute immune hemolytic reaction is very serious, but also very rare. It occurs if the blood type you get during a transfusion doesn't match or work with your blood type. Your body attacks the new red blood cells, which then produce substances that harm your kidneys.
6. Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD)
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a condition in which white blood cells in the new blood attack your tissues. GVHD usually is fatal. People who have weakened immune systems are the most likely to get GVHD.
This is usually done as a life saving maneuver to replace blood cells or blood products lost through severe bleeding, during surgery when blood loss occurs or to increase the blood count in an anemic patient.
If during the transfusion you have symptoms of shortness of breath, itching, fever or chills or just not feeling well, alert the person transfusing the blood immediately.
These are some of the benefits your donated blood can provide for patients in need :
1. Increase low hemoglobin levels: low hemoglobin can cause damage to body organs and tissues due to low oxygen levels.
2. Help stop bleeding: bleeding may not be controlled if platelets and/or clotting factors are low.
3. Keep the heart pumping: low blood volume can lead to low pressure and the heart may not be able maintain the circulation of blood.
4. Help with serious blood infections when other methods fail. Granulocyte transfusions, for example.
5. Provide red cells and platelets when the bone marrow is compromised: as with blood cancers, bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy.
6. Provide red cells and platelets for patients with blood disorders: such as sickle cell, thallasemias, myelodysplasia, aplastic anemia.
7. Save someone’s life.
Risks and Complications
Most blood transfusions go very smoothly. However, mild problems and, very rarely, serious problems can occur.
1. Allergic Reactions
Some people have allergic reactions to the blood given during transfusions. This can happen even when the blood given is the right blood type.
Allergic reactions can be mild or severe. Symptoms can include:
- Anxiety
- Chest and/or back pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fever, chills, flushing, and clammy skin
- A quick pulse or low blood pressure
- Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach)
2. Viruses and Infectious Diseases
Some infectious agents, such as HIV, can survive in blood and infect the person receiving the blood transfusion. To keep blood safe, blood banks carefully screen donated blood.
The risk of catching a virus from a blood transfusion is very low.
HIV. Your risk of getting HIV from a blood transfusion is lower than your risk of getting killed by lightning.
3. Fever
You may get a sudden fever during or within a day of your blood transfusion. This is usually your body's normal response to white blood cells in the donated blood. Over-the-counter fever medicine usually will treat the fever.
4. Iron Overload
Getting many blood transfusions can cause too much iron to build up in your blood (iron overload). People who have a blood disorder like thalassemia, which requires multiple transfusions, are at risk for iron overload. Iron overload can damage your liver, heart, and other parts of your body.
5. Acute Immune Hemolytic Reaction
Acute immune hemolytic reaction is very serious, but also very rare. It occurs if the blood type you get during a transfusion doesn't match or work with your blood type. Your body attacks the new red blood cells, which then produce substances that harm your kidneys.
6. Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD)
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a condition in which white blood cells in the new blood attack your tissues. GVHD usually is fatal. People who have weakened immune systems are the most likely to get GVHD.
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