Blood Components and Products Overview

Blood Components

• Blood products can be standard or specialised
• Standard blood products include whole blood, packed red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate
• Specialised blood products include saline-washed red cells, frozen red cells, and irradiated products
• Whole blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, plasma, and clotting factors
• Packed red blood cells only contain red blood cells and 20% plasma
• Washed red blood cells are free of almost all traces of plasma, most WBCs, and platelets
• Washed red blood cells are prepared using an automated cell washer and centrifugation
• Washed red blood cells are suspended in 0.85% normal saline after processing
• Washed red blood cells have a shelf life of 24 hours

Blood Product Definitions

• A blood product is any therapeutic substance prepared from human blood
• Whole blood is unseparated blood containing anti-coagulant preservative
• Blood component (component separation) is a constituent of blood separated from whole blood
• Plasma derivative (fractionation) is human plasma proteins prepared under pharmaceutical manufacturing conditions

Blood Component Preparation

• Blood components are prepared using centrifugation
• The speed and duration of centrifugation depend on the specific blood component being separated
• The temperature of centrifugation is important - Platelets are centrifuged at 22°C, and other blood components at 1-6°C
• Whole blood is centrifuged into plasma, packed red blood cells, and a buffy coat layer containing platelets and white blood cells
• Packed red blood cells have a shelf life of 35 days if stored in CDPA or 42 days if stored in AS
• Packed red blood cells must be stored at 1-6°C
• Washed red blood cells are prepared by mixing with large volumes of physiologic saline and centrifuging

Blood Component Usage

• Whole blood is rarely used except in cases of sudden and severe blood loss
• Packed red cells are used to replace oxygen-carrying capacity without large volume transfusions
• Washed red blood cells are used for patients who are allergic to plasma proteins or platelet antibodies
• Cryoprecipitate is used to treat patients with deficiencies in clotting factors or fibrinogen
• Fresh frozen plasma is used to treat patients with multiple clotting factor deficiencies
• Platelets are used to treat patients with platelet disorders or who have undergone surgery or chemotherapy.

This quiz covers the various components of blood, including standard and specialized blood products. Learn about whole blood, packed red blood cells, platelets, and their definitions and uses in medical practice. Understand the processing and storage of these vital components as well.