Blood transfusion is a procedure to deliver the blood that has collected in a blood bag to people who need blood, such as people with anemia, severe infections, or liver disease. Donated blood comes from donors.
Blood transfusions are part of a doctor's treatment to save the lives of patients who lack blood or are suffering from certain diseases.
Transfused blood can be in whole form (whole blood) or contains only one component of blood, such as:
- red blood cells (packed red cells/PRC)Red blood cells are the most frequently transfused blood component. These cells function to carry oxygen from the heart to the rest of the body and remove carbon dioxide.
- White blood cellWhite blood cells are part of the immune system and play an important role in fighting infection.
- Platelets (thrombocyte concentrates/TC)Platelets play a role in stopping bleeding.
- clotting factor (cryoprecipitate)Just like platelets, clotting factors play a role in stopping bleeding.
- Blood plasma (fresh frozen plasma/FFP)Blood plasma is a liquid component of blood and contains clotting factors, proteins, vitamins, calcium, sodium, potassium, and hormones.
Indications for Blood Transfusion
Blood transfusions will be given if the patient has a deficiency of one or all of the blood components. The type of blood given will be adjusted to the needs and conditions of the patient. Here is the explanation:
- Red blood cell transfusion or PRCAnemia or low hemoglobin (Hb) is one of the underlying conditions in which patients are given PRC. Some diseases and conditions that can cause anemia that require red blood cell transfusions, namely thalassemia, aplastic anemia, or
- Platelet transfusion and cryoprecipitatePlatelet transfusion and cryoprecipitate This procedure will be performed on patients who are bleeding or are suspected of having bleeding because they have a blood clotting disorder, such as hemophilia or thrombocytopenia.
- FFP TransfusionFFP transfusions are required for patients with severe infections, liver disease, or severe burns. FFP also contains clotting factors, so in some cases of bleeding, FFP may be given.
Blood Transfusion Alert
There are several things that need to be done before undergoing a blood transfusion, namely:
- Inform your doctor if you have previously experienced side effects after undergoing a blood transfusion.
- Inform your doctor about any medications, supplements, and herbal products you are currently using.
- Inform the doctor of the condition or illness suffered.
- Inform your doctor if you are undergoing any therapy or medication.
Before Blood Transfusion
Before a blood transfusion is performed, the patient will have a blood sample taken to be checked for blood type based on the ABO blood group system (A, B, AB, or O) and the rhesus (Rh) system which is divided into positive and negative rhesus.
After the blood group is known, a re-examination will be carried out by matching the blood group taken from the donor with the blood group of the recipient (recipient). This examination is called crossmatch.
When crossmatch, the doctor not only rematched the blood group of the donor with the recipient, but also saw the possibility of the emergence of antibodies that could attack the donor's blood cells, thereby endangering the patient's body.
Blood Transfusion Procedure
Blood transfusions generally last about 1-4 hours, but can be more, depending on the type of blood and the amount of blood the patient needs. To start the transfusion process, the patient will be asked to recline in a chair or lie down in bed.
Next, the doctor will insert a needle into the vein around the patient's arm. The needle is then connected to a catheter (thin tube) that is connected to the blood bag. At this stage, blood will flow from the blood bag to the blood vessels.
In the first 15 minutes of blood transfusion, the patient's condition will continue to be monitored to ensure that the patient does not experience an allergic reaction. If allergy symptoms appear, the procedure can be stopped immediately.
If after 1 hour there is no allergic reaction, the doctor or nurse can speed up the blood transfusion process. During the transfusion process, the doctor will periodically check the patient's vital condition, which includes body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate.
After Blood Transfusion
After the blood transfusion, the doctor or nurse will remove the tube that was previously inserted into the blood vessel. The arm where the transfusion was performed may be painful afterward and bruising may also occur around the needle insertion site. However, these conditions will generally go away on their own within a few days.
Side effects Blood transfusion
Although rare, blood transfusions can cause a number of side effects. These side effects can appear at the time of blood transfusion or some time after. The following are some of the side effects that can occur due to blood transfusions:
1. Fever
Fever can occur suddenly during a blood transfusion. Fever is a form of the body's response to donor blood cells that enter the recipient's body. This condition can be treated with fever reducer medication.
2. Allergic reaction
Allergic reactions that arise can include discomfort, chest or back pain, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, flushed skin, fast heart rate, drop in blood pressure, and nausea.
3. Anaphylactic reaction
An anaphylactic reaction is a more serious type of allergic reaction that can even endanger the patient's life. This reaction can occur within minutes of starting a blood transfusion, and is characterized by swelling of the face and throat, shortness of breath, and low blood pressure.
4. Advantages zat besi
Too much blood being transfused can cause iron overload. This condition is generally experienced by people with thalassemia who often require blood transfusions. Excess iron can cause damage to the heart, liver, and other organs of the body.
5. Lung injury
Although rare, blood transfusions can damage the lungs. This condition generally occurs 6 hours after the procedure.
In some cases, patients can recover from this condition. However, 5–25% of patients with lung injury die. The exact cause of why blood transfusions can damage the lungs is not yet known.
6. Infection
Infectious diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C can be transmitted through donor blood. However, this is very rare nowadays, because the blood to be donated has been checked by a doctor first regarding the presence or absence of infections that can be transmitted through blood.
7. Disease graft versus host
In this condition, the transfused white blood cells will turn to attack the recipient tissue. This disease is classified as fatal and is at risk of attacking people who have weak immune systems, such as people with autoimmune diseases, leukemia, or lymphoma.
8. Acute immune hemolytic reaction
When the blood the patient receives does not match, the patient's immune system destroys the transfused blood cells. This process of destruction of blood cells is called hemolysis. In this condition, the blood cells that have been destroyed will release compounds that harm the kidneys.
9. Delayed immune hemolytic reaction
This condition is similar to acute immune hemolytic reaction, it's just that the reaction goes more slowly, ie within 1-4 weeks after the transfusion. This reaction can reduce the number of blood cells very slowly, so sufferers are often not aware of the symptoms.
Reactions in the form of breakdown of blood cells (hemolysis), both acute and delayed (delayed), is more common in patients who have received previous blood transfusions.