BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS

Question 1

How are blood donations transported around the country?

Answer 1

in NHSBT vehicles where they are taken to blood centres

Question 2

what happens in the manufacturing process of blood?

Answer 2

white blood cells are filtered out and the blood components are separated using a centrifuge. RBCs platelets and blood plasma were all filtered out. Each donation is tested for ABO and RhD blood groups and is checked for viruses. the blood is labelled, packed and sent to hospitals.

Question 3

What ethnic group has a higher demand for blood donors?

Answer 3

BAME

Question 4

how long is packaged red cells shelf life? what temperature is it stored as?

Answer 4

35 days, 4 degrees

Question 5

how long is packaged platelets shelf life? what temperature are they stored at? what is the problem with storing them at this temperature?

Answer 5

5 days- 22 degrees

bacteria could develop

Question 6

what are the 2 ways in which we can get platelets from blood donors? what is the benefit of the two?

Answer 6

pooled from 5 people or apheresis. the benefit of apheresis is that we can take 1 bags worth of platelets from 1 person and return the rest of the fluid back to them.

Question 7

how long can fresh frozen plasma be stored for? at what temperature Is it stored? how long does it take to thaw?
when must it be used by?

Answer 7

2 years. -30 degrees.
30 minutes
24 hours

Question 8

why do we only take plasma from male donors?

Answer 8

this reduces the chance of TRALI which is sudden acute respiratory distress following the transfusion due to HLA antibodies in the plasma which can cause the recipient to have an immune response.

Question 9

what are the blood components that we use?

Answer 9

platelets
red blood cells
plasma
white cells
cryoprecipitate

Question 10

what is cryoprecipitate?

Answer 10

fresh frozen plasma that is repeatedly thawed in a laboratory to produce a source of concentrated clotting factors.

Question 11

what are examples of blood products that we can take from blood donors?

Answer 11

clotting factors
Anti-D
human albumin solution

Question 12

why might a patient need a transfusion of red cells? how does it help?

Answer 12

sickle cell anaemia/leukemia etc…

it increases the oxygen delivery capacity of the blood.

Question 13

how is the red cell shelf life increased?

Answer 13

it is mixed with saline solution with adenine, glucose and mannitol

Question 14

why might a patient need a platelet transfusion?

Answer 14

the prevention and treatment of haemorrhage in patient with thrombocytopenia or platelet function defects

Question 15

why might a patient need a plasma transfusion?

Answer 15

as it’s a source of clotting factors and fibrinogen.

Question 16

why is plasma not always so readily used for transfusions?

Answer 16

there are unpredictable adverse effects. e.g. anaphylaxis, transfusion-related acute lung injury or haemolytic due to transfused antibodies encountering blood group antigens,

Question 17

why might a patient need a cryoprecipitate transfusion?

Answer 17

to replace fibrinogen because of an inherited or acquired deficiency

Question 18

why might a patient need a granulocyte transfusion?

Answer 18

as they may have a low neutrophil count or sepsis (rarely used… mainly on cancer wards)

Question 19

what is convalescent plasma?

Answer 19

blood from people whoever recovered from the illness to help others recover

Question 20

who are we trying to target for convalescent plasma in COVID19?

Answer 20

those who probably have more antibodies or have been tested for more antibodies
males
over 35s
those admitted to hospital 
Asian

Question 21

what is SHOT?

Answer 21

serious hazards of transfusions

Question 22

what are the 2 critical points in the transfusion process where things can go wrong?

Answer 22

sampling and administration

Question 23

why is it important not to give a patient the incorrect antibodies?

Answer 23

as they are capable of destroying incompatible red blood cells by complement activation causing immediate intravascular haemolysis.

Question 24

What is Serological crossmatching?

Answer 24

when both samples are mixed together and centrifuged at room temperature to visualise haemolytic or agglutination which would dignify a positive rest result.

Question 25

Why is blood becoming more and more limited?

Answer 25

as the population is getting older, has more comorbidities and more people are going onto anti-platelet therapy which means they can’t donate blood

Question 26

What are 4 factors to consider with blood transfusions?

Answer 26

risks
limited supply
cost
transfusion thresholds.

Question 27

what is irradiated blood?

Answer 27

blood that has been exposed to irradiation to inactive lymphocytes. this prevents donor white blood cells replicating and mounting an immune response against a vulnerable patient causing transfusion-associated-graft-versus-host-disease