Blood Donation and its Importance ( Practical )

 

 

                     

 

 

 

               

  History

The earliest documentation of blood transfusion is found
in the religious text of many civilizations. The first documented
demonstration of blood transfusion was between two dogs by
Richard Lower in 1665.

 

Landsteener discovered the ABO Blood Group system in 1901,
which is one of the most important landmark discoveries in the
Transfusion Medicine. In the 1970s voluntary donors were
accepted as blood donors. These donors were later on found to
 people having high-risk activities and the recipients were found
to be suffering from liver diseases. This lead to another
discovery of Hepatitis B transmitted by donated blood. Since
then testing for the hepatitis B antigen was implemented and
 this together with cessation of paid donors reduced the
incidence of post transfusion hepatitis. Further studies also
made us to include tests for Malaria, Syphilis, AIDS, and
Hepatitis C to make the donated blood as safe as
 possible to the recipient.

 

 What is blood?

One can almost say that blood is that magic potion which gives
life to another person. Though we have made tremendous
discoveries and inventions in Science we are not yet able
to make the magic potion called Blood. Human blood has
 no substitute. Requirement of safe blood is increasing and regular
 voluntary blood donations are vital for blood transfusion services.

 

 Who can donate blood?

Eligibility criteria for blood donation

Donor should be between 18-55 years of age with a weight
of 50 kg or above with pulse rate, body temperature and blood
 pressure should be normal. Both men and women can
donate. There are only few conditions in which donors are
permanently excluded. The donor with history of epilepsy
, psychotic disorders, abnormal bleeding tendencies, severe
asthma, cardiovascular disorders, malignancy are permanently
 unfit for blood donation. Donors suffering from disease like
 hepatitis, malaria, measles, mumps, and syphilis may donate
 blood after full recovery with 3-6 months gap. Also people
who have undergone surgery, blood transfusion may safely
donate blood after 6-12 mths for woman donors who are
 pregnant or lactating blood is not taken as their iron
reserves are already on the lower side.

 

 How much blood can be taken?

Our body has 5.5 ltr of blood of which only 350 ml - 450 ml
of blood is taken depending upon weight of donor. Majority
 of healthy adults can tolerate withdrawal of one unit of
blood. The withdrawn blood volume is restored within 24
 hours and the hemoglobin and cell components are
restored in 2 months. Therefore it is safe to donate blood every three months.

 

 What is done with the blood collected?

The blood collected in sterile, pyrogen free containers with
anticoagulants like CPDA or CPDA with SAGM. This
 prevents clotting and provides nutrition for the cells.
This blood is stored at 2-6 C or -20 C depending on the
component prepared. Donated blood undergoes various
tests like blood grouping antibody detection, testing
of infections like hepatitis, AIDS, Malaria, syphilis
and before it reaches the recipient it undergoes
compatibility testing with the recipient blood.

 

 

 Modern Blood Transfusion Practice:

Modern blood transfusion basically deals with the optimal
 use of one unit of blood. One unit of whole blood is
separated into components making it available to different
patients according to their requirement. Thus one unit of
blood is converted into packed cell volume, fresh frozen
plasma, platelet concentrate, cryoprecipitate and
granulocytes concentrate.

Another important practice is apheresis. This is separation
of only desired component from the donor and return the
 remaining constituent back to donor. This technique
 is also used for remaining pathological substance in patients.

Withdrawal of blood for transfusion is regarded as a safe
procedure now and blood donor has emerged as the single
most vital link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this year my dear friends 'Donate Blood ' and give somebody a GIFT OF LIFE . 

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