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There is no substitute for blood
Today, doctors prefer to transfuse patients with blood
components rather than with a unit of whole blood. Blood
components are red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Each
component provides a different therapeutic benefit to a
patient.
When a person donates a pint of whole blood, that pint
is sent to a laboratory where it is processed and separated
into these component parts before being transfused to a
patient. However, a pint of blood does not contain enough
platelets or, often, plasma, to make a therapeutic dose
for a patient. Therefore, the platelets and plasma from
one donor must be combined with the platelets and plasma
from another donor or multiple donors to make the therapeutic
dose.
Today, however, blood donors have a choice. Technology
makes it possible to donate just the component part of blood
rather than whole blood. This means that blood component(s)
you donate can be directly transfused to a patient without
processing. Automated blood donations have been in use for
many years.
Blood donors have found automated donations to be a pleasant
experience:
- A smaller needle is often used
- Saline is given back to a donor replacing the volume
of blood lost by the donor and thereby relieving some
donors of the dizziness and other side effects caused
by the blood donation
- More units of blood can be donated with automation,
meaning that one trip to the blood center allows the donor
to give more - saving time in the long run
Who will benefit from my components?
| If you donate: |
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You will be helping: |
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| Plasma |
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Trauma or burn patients, organ transplant recipients,
patients with (link to D10) clotting disorders, and
many newborns. |
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| Red
Cells |
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Patient undergoing surgery or trauma; patients with
chronic blood (link to D9) disorders like anemia or
sickle cell. |
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| Platelets |
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Patient who have developed bleeding disorders from
leukemia, (link to D8) cancer therapy, or open heart
surgery. |
> Learn more about the need
for blood donors
> Learn more about the blood
supply
> Learn more about the importance
of blood components
> Learn more about whole
blood and automated blood donations
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