A blood transfusion is a common medical procedure in which donor blood is infused into a patient to replace important components of the blood. Blood has several components, including white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma and platelets. Transfusions occur when the body cannot make the necessary components or the components have been lost through illness or trauma.
Surgery
Patients may require a blood transfusion to replace blood lost during surgery. Often, the blood is replaced with packed red blood cells, which gives a high concentration of red blood cells. Many patients will choose to donate their own blood prior to surgery so that they may receive an infusion of their own blood, lessening the chance of reaction or rejection.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition of low levels of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. Without the necessary cells, people experience shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, chest pain, headaches and cold hands and feet. In most cases, physicians treat anemia with dietary adjustment and vitamin supplements. In severe anemia cases, physicians give packed red blood cells, which can provide immediate relief of symptoms.
Cancer
There are many reasons why cancer patients may require a blood transfusion. Some cancers can cause internal bleeding, which can lead to anemia. The American Cancer Society explains that cancers such as leukemia often proliferate in the bone marrow where blood cells and platelets usually form. As cancerous cells multiply, they leave no room for healthy cells to grow, leading to low blood counts. Surgeries and other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also require blood component replacement. The type of transfusion a cancer patient receives depends on the type of component loss experienced.
Severe Burns
Physicians often treat patients suffering from severe burns with plasma. The skin contains the body's fluids. When the skin becomes damaged and can no longer contain the body's fluids, the brain sends signals to the body to transfer the blood's fluids out of circulation and into the tissues. When the fluids are shifted to the tissue, circulation in the body falls, causing blood pressure to crash. Plasma is 92 percent water, 7 percent protein and 1 percent minerals, which can help replace the patient's body fluids, according to the Blood Bank of Delmarva.
Trauma
Patients suffering from severe injury or trauma often experience a large volume of blood loss, causing a condition known as hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemic shock is an emergency condition in which blood and fluid loss makes the heart unable to pump enough blood throughout the body. This condition, if left untreated, leads to organ failure and eventual death. According to the Trauma website, when treating trauma patients with blood transfusions the goal is to deliver rapid blood replacement to ensure restoration of blood volume in order to maintain the body's ability to carry oxygen to infuse organs.
References
- American Cancer Society: Why Cancer Patients Might Need Blood Product Transfusions
- Mayo Clinic: Blood Transfusions--Why It's Done
- National Anemia Action Council: Treating Anemia with Red Blood Cell Transfusions
- Trauma: Transfusion for Massive Blood Loss
- Blood Bank of Delmarva: Glossary of Terms--Plasma
