Blood transfusions are needed for a wide range of health conditions including Anemia,complications during pregnancy and childbirth, severe trauma due to accidents, and surgical procedures. They are also regularly used for patients with conditions such as sickle cell disease and Thalassemias and for products to treat hemophilia.
Maintaining safe and effective procedures around the collection, storage and use of donated blood is essential. Collectively called Hemovigilance, these procedures cover the entire blood transfusion chain and are used to standardize the use of blood in healthcareWhy are blood transfusions necessary?
Blood transfusions are necessary when the body lacks enough blood to function properly. For example, a person may need a blood transfusion if they have sustained a severe injury or if they have lost blood during surgery.
Some people need blood transfusions for certain conditions and disorders, including:
Anemia: This occurs when a person’s blood does not have enough red blood cells. It can develop for a number of reasons, such as if a person does not have enough iron in their body. This is known as iron deficiency anemia.
Hemophilia: This is a bleeding disorder wherein the blood is unable to clot properly.
Cancer: This occurs when cells in the body divide and spread to the surrounding tissues.
Sickle cell disease: This is a group of red blood cell disorders that change the shape of red blood cells.
Kidney disease: This occurs when the kidneys are damaged.
Liver disease: This occurs when the liver stops functioning properly.What to expect
Most blood transfusions take place in a hospital or at a clinic. However, visiting nurses may be able to perform blood transfusions at home. Before this, a doctor will need to perform a blood test to determine a person’s blood type.
During a blood transfusion, a healthcare professional will place a small needle into the vein, usually in the arm or hand. The blood then moves from a bag, through a rubber tube, and into the person’s vein through the needle.
They will carefully monitor vital signs throughout the procedure. It can take up to 4 hoursTrusted Source to complete a blood transfusion.Risks and complications
Blood transfusions are very safeTrusted Source. Strict procedures exist to ensure that the testing, handling, and storage of donated blood is as safe as possible.
However, it is possible for a person’s body to react to the new blood. Such reactions can be either mild or severe.
Some reactions occur immediately, while others can take several days to appear. Examples include:
Allergies
Allergic reactions are common. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allergic reactions make up over 50%Trusted Source of reported reactions to blood transfusions.
Antihistamine medications can help treat allergic reactions.
Fever
A person may experience a fever following a blood transfusion.
Although this is not serious, if they also experience chest pain or nausea, they should let a doctor know as soon as possible.
Hemolytic reaction
This can occur when the blood types are not compatible, causing the immune system to attack the new blood cells.
This is a serious reaction, but it is very rare.
Symptoms may include:
lower back pain
chest pain
dark urine
nausea
fever
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