TYPES
Donation
During blood donation, the blood from a healthy donor is separated into its parts wherein the useful component is collected, and the unused one is returned to a donor.
The large categories of component collections are as follows:
- Plasmapheresis – blood plasma. Collects FFP (fresh frozen plasma).
- Erythrocytapheresis – red blood cells. The process of separating erythrocytes from whole blood.
- Plateletpheresis – blood platelets. The process of collecting platelets by Apheresis while restoring the RBCs, WBCs, and component plasma.
- Leukapheresis (white blood cells). The process of removing PMNs, basophils, eosinophils for transfusion into patients who have ineffective PMNs or failed traditional therapy.
- Stem cell harvesting. The process of harvesting bone marrow cells to be used in bone marrow transplantation.
Donor safety
- Hemapheresis is done using single-use kits to avoid the risk of infection from blood-contaminated tubing or centrifuge.
- Reinfusion. The process of giving back the remaining blood to the donor.
Although rare, kit problems may occur. There may be blood leakage or problems in the reverse line connection that may result in excessive ACD infusion, severe injury, and the donor’s death.
Selected Donors For Hemapheresis
Qualifications to donate for hemapheresis are the following;
- People who are not using drugs.
- People who are not carriers of any diseases.
- People who have suitable vascular structures.
Before donating, donors should pass the following:
- Apheresis platelet donation. Pre platelet count should be above 150 x 10^9/L.
- Apheresis plasma donation. The total protein level should be greater than 60 g/L.
- Double red cell apheresis. Require a minimum hemoglobin level of 14.0 g/dl.
