Blood transfusion

Question 1

What sugars are A and B in the ABO blood group system?

Answer 1

N acetyl galactosamine (A)

Galactose (B)

Question 2

How are red blood cells stored?

Answer 2

At 4 degrees C
Shelf life of 35 days
Transfuse over 2-3 hours

Question 3

How are platelets stored?

Answer 3

At 22 degrees C
Shelf life 7 days
Transfuse over 30 mins to 600 mins

Question 4

How is plasma stored?

Answer 4

Stored frozen, must allow 30 mins to thaw

Fresh Frozen Plasma

Question 5

One dose of platelets should increase platelet count by…

Answer 5

30

Question 6

What is Cryoprecipitate and what does it do?

Answer 6

It is prepared from plasma and contains fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, factor VIII, factor XIII and fibronectin.

2 pooled units will increase fibrinogen by approx 1g/L.

Question 7

What is the definition of major haemorrhage?

Answer 7

1) Loss of more than one blood volume within 24 hours (around 70 mL/kg,
>5 litres in a 70 kg adult)

2) 50% of total blood
volume lost in less than 3 hours

3) Bleeding in excess of 150 mL/minute

Question 8

What is transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO)?

Answer 8

A transfusion reaction that can occur due to a rapid transfusion of a large volume of blood, but can also occur during a single red cell transfusion (about 15% of cases).

Question 9

What are the most common reaction risks from a blood transfusion?

Answer 9

1) Transfusion Associated Cirulatory Overload (TACO)
2) Febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR)
3) Allergic