Blood donation is a selfless act that plays a crucial role in saving lives. But have you ever wondered what happens to your blood once you've rolled up your sleeve and made a donation? The journey of donated blood is a complex process that involves several critical steps to ensure it is safe and effective for those in need. Let’s map your blood's fascinating journey from you to Our Blood Institute to hospitals to local patients in need.
1. Collection and Initial Testing
When you donate blood, it is collected into sterile bags containing anticoagulants to prevent clotting. Each donation typically amounts to about one pint of blood. Immediately after collection, your blood is labeled with a unique barcode that tracks it through the entire process.
Next, samples are taken from each donation to test for various infectious diseases, including HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and others. These tests are crucial to ensure the safety of the blood supply. If any tests come back positive, the blood is discarded, and the donor is notified.
2. Processing and Separation
Once the initial testing is complete, the blood undergoes processing to separate it into its individual components. This is done using a centrifuge, which spins the blood at high speeds. The centrifugal force separates the blood into three primary components:
- Red Blood Cells (RBCs): These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and are used to treat patients with anemia, trauma or during surgery.
- Plasma: The liquid portion of blood, plasma contains proteins, clotting factors and antibodies. It is often used to treat patients with liver conditions, burns or severe infections.
- Platelets: These small cell fragments are crucial for blood clotting and are often used in cancer treatments and surgeries to prevent excessive bleeding.
Each component is collected into separate bags for further testing and storage.
3. Further Testing and Storage
Before being sent to hospitals, the separated blood components undergo additional testing to confirm their safety and compatibility. This includes blood typing and crossmatching to ensure they match the recipients' blood type and Rh factor.
- Red Blood Cells: Stored at 1-6°C for up to 42 days.
- Plasma: Can be frozen and stored for up to a year.
- Platelets: Stored at room temperature with constant agitation to prevent clumping and must be used within five days.
Wait: Do you know your blood type?
4. Distribution
Once processed, tested, and deemed safe, the blood components are ready for distribution. We here at OBI coordinate with hospitals and clinics to supply them with the specific components they need. This process is highly time-sensitive, especially for platelets, due to their five-day shelf life.
5. Transfusion
Finally, the blood components reach the patients in need. Transfusions can be life-saving for individuals undergoing surgery, those with trauma injuries, cancer patients, people with chronic illnesses like anemia, and many others. Each pint of donated blood can help save up to three lives, making every donation incredibly valuable.
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