Blood Transfusion Lecture 5

Study Notes

Blood transfusion is the intravenous administration of whole blood or a component such as plasma, packed red blood cells, or platelets to a patient.

Homologous transfusion: transfusion of blood taken from another human being (donor) and stored.
Autologous transfusion: re-infusion of a patient's own blood.
Transfusion of plasma expanders and blood components.

Should not be suffering from diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, cancer, jaundice, tuberculosis, hepatitis, AIDS, allergies, etc.
Should not have donated blood within the previous 90 days.
Should be healthy and in the age group of 18-65 years.
Should not be pregnant.
Should have HB level above 12gm.
Should have normal vital signs (TPR, BP).
Should not be empty stomach.

Transfusion reaction: characterized by fever, chills, headache, dyspnoea, cyanosis, and resultant drop in blood pressure.
Oliguria followed by anuria may signal renal failure.
Chest pain, nausea, vomiting, increased pulse rate and respiratory rate, and haemoglobinuria (red urine).
Haemolytic transfusion reaction.
Pyrogenic reactions.
Allergic reactions.
Circulatory overload.
Transmission of infection diseases.
Anaphylactic reactions.

Ongoing transfusion should be stopped.
Crystalloids should be administered to maintain intravascular volume and perfusion to kidneys.
Steroid suppresses the immune system, thereby reducing the release of inflammatory mediators.

Osmosis = water concentration.
Hypotonic = high water + low salt.
Hypertonic = low water + high salt.
The test is used to diagnose different types of anemia in which the physical properties of the RBC are altered.
Conditions associated with increased osmotic fragility include hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune spherocytosis, poisoning, and severe burns.
Conditions associated with decreased fragility include thalassemias, iron deficiency anemia, and sickle cell anemia.