A hemolytic blood transfusion reaction occurs when a patient receives blood that does not match his own. In order for the body to accept donor blood, it must be of the same type. A patient who has a blood type of A negative cannot receive blood...
According to AABB, a professional organization of blood banks, approximately 40,000 units of blood are used daily in the United States. People undergoing surgery, accident victims, cancer patients and others with decreased blood volume often need...
Health care professionals administer approximately 40,000 units of blood each day in hospitals around the United States, according to the professional blood banking organization AABB. Blood transfusions often prove life-saving. Serious side...
Blood transfusions remain an important and potentially life-saving form of treatment for people suffering traumatic or chronic blood loss. Despite stringent protocols to ensure the safety of people receiving a blood transfusion, complications...
A critical electrolyte in your body is potassium. A positively charged ion, potassium is responsible for electrical relaxation of your muscle cells, especially those in your heart. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine,"...
Blood transfusion risks range from mild to severe reactions. Some occur infrequently, while others are more common. Some occur within minutes, and others can take weeks to manifest. Risks depend, in part, on the blood product being transfused....
Patients who have suffered large blood loss from trauma or surgery--or who have a low hemoglobin level because of a disease process--may receive a blood transfusion. When to transfuse blood depends on several factors such as the person's vital...
It is extremely rare to experience any kind of side effect from a blood transfusion. The Immunohematologist (blood banker) who crossmatches your blood for a transfusion is highly skilled, trained and certified to match donor blood to recipient...
You may have heard characters from Hollywood medical dramas yelling out "AB negative!" and frantically transfusing their patients in an effort to stabilize them. But just how important is it to know your blood type? Only certain types of blood...
The complications of anemia are based on the type of anemia you have. There are six forms: iron deficiency, sickle cell, vitamin deficiency, thalassemia, anemia due to chronic disease and aplastic anemia. Some types of anemia can be managed by...
A blood transfusion is a common procedure in which a donor's blood is infused into the patient's blood to help replace missing blood components. Patients can receive red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets or plasma. Before receiving a...
Specific surgical approaches for kidney surgery will expose you to different types of risk. For instance, a retroperitoneal laproscopy will have less risk of intestinal complications than an open and direct approach from the abdomen....
Transfusion is the process of giving whole blood or one of its components--plasma, red blood cells, platelets and cryoprecipitates--to a patient through an intravenous line. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, almost 5...
Prostate cancer, the third most common cause of cancer death in men, causes around 27,000 deaths each year, the University of Colorado Hospital reported in 2010. Provenge, a medication created from a person's own immune cells and administered...
The hours and days after having a baby can be described as an exhilarating and joyous time. You may be on a high emotionally but feel a little lower physically. Among the body aches and fatigue you experience postpartum, you may also suffer from...
A blood transfusion replaces loss of blood due to injury and surgery, and replenishes supplies when disease affects the body's ability to produce blood. They are performed on 5 million Americans each year, according to the National Heart Lung and...
Plasma is the fluid portion of the blood that does not contain any cells. Plasma contains a number of medically useful components including albumin (a protein), other proteins and clotting factors. Plasma collection takes time and commitment on...
Fatigue is a common symptom in many illnesses and daily routines. It becomes a concern when it is not relieved by rest, good nutrition and a reduction in the stress level. A sudden onset of extreme fatigue from an unknown cause indicates the need...
Bilirubin is the principal breakdown product of red blood cells. The liver processes bilirubin into bile, which is transported by the biliary network of tubes within the liver to the gallbladder. The gallbladder releases bile into the small...
Blood transfusions are prescribed for many reasons, including blood loss and abnormal blood counts. Although hospitals and clinics follow strict protocols for safe transfusion, mistakes by staff and bad reactions from patients to the blood...
Polyarthritis isn't a specific disease but rather a term used to describe arthritis that affects five or more joints. A number of diseases can cause polyarthritis, which can occur as an acute or chronic problem. Causes of polyarthritis include...
A benign tumor that forms on a nerve that connects the brain and the inner ear, an acoustic neuroma affects six to 10 million people each year, according to the University of California, Irvine's Department of Otolaryngology. One treatment option...
A blood transfusion is a medical procedure in which donated blood is added to the patient's to supplement various components of the blood. Patients may receive red blood cells, plasma or platelets dependent on the condition being treated. Patients...
Blood transfusions replace blood loss due to trauma or anemia. Natural blood carries oxygen more efficiently than artificial substances. The dangers associated with blood transfusion, though rare, can seriously affect the body. All donors must...
A blood transfusion is a common procedure used to replace blood lost from surgery or an accident. Through an intravenous line in one of your blood vessels, new blood that is matched or compatible with your blood type is introduced into your body....
Anemia is a condition in which the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues and organs. There are many causes of anemia, the most common being iron deficiency anemia, vitamin deficiency anemia and anemia...
Around four million people receive blood transfusions each year. Of those, 2.1 percent received autologous transfusions, or infusions of their own blood, in 2006, Lab Tests Online states. Autologous transfusions especially benefit people having...
The human immune system is a complex, yet effective system that continually protects your body from harmful microorganisms. Exposure to a foreign substance (antigen) activates the immune system, which produces antibodies to attack and destroy the...
Acute renal failure is the sudden inability of the kidneys to remove waste products from the body and concentrate urine without losing electrolytes and causing dysfunction in the organ systems. This can happen because of an autoimmune disease,...
Plasma, platelets, and red blood cells can all be donated with human blood. Learn the components of human blood donations in this free video clip from a blood donation center.
Curious about donating automated blood collections? Learn about automated blood donation collections in this free video clip from a blood donation center.