platelet donation process
General

Chances for the Platelet Donation: The Perfect Deals

After receiving a favorable opinion from the doctor who recognizes the donor who is medically fit to donate, the sample is taken by a specially qualified nurse. She prepares sterile and disposable equipment. The skin is disinfected in the veins of the fold of the elbow, where the sample will be taken.

The bevel-shaped needle is specially adapted for penetration of the skin and its steel is covered with silicone, which makes the sample painless. For the proper platelet donation process is essential here.

The Blood Taking Option

The first milliliters of blood taken is transferred to a small pocket to allow the removal of bacteria that would have introduced at the time of sampling. These first milliliters will not enter the circuit of the transfusion but they will be used to fill the tubes of analyzes for the realization of the biological examinations (blood group, virological tests, etc.) The rest of the blood is collected in a collection bag of the donation intended for the actual transfusion.

What is the duration and volume of the various samples?

platelet donation process

Donation of whole blood: The sample takes about 10 minutes – 450 ml of blood are collected.

Plasma donation: The sampling lasts between 1h and 1h20 – 600ml of plasma are taken.

The donation of platelets: The sampling lasts between 2h and 2h20 – 600 ml of platelets are taken.

When the prescribed volume is taken, the controller interrupts the flow and its alarm informs the nurse.

She identifies the pockets and tubes with the donor’s donation number.

The snack and the rest

  • After donation, a snack is offered to the donor.
  • This pleasant and important moment makes it possible to observe a short rest under medical supervision.
  • He is also a privileged moment to maintain relationships and share his experience with other volunteer blood donors or to meet friends or neighbors.

After a sample, the body reconstitutes very quickly, and naturally, the blood that has been collected. Countervailing mechanisms come into action directly:

  • The blood vessels contract, which helps maintain normal blood pressure.
  • The blood is redistributed in the body to oxygenate the heart and the brain.
  • The plasma is reconstituted.
  • A platelet pool is released and the production of new platelets accelerates.

Vigilance on the donor side

  1. Some activities are discouraged in the hours following a donation. Among them: activities at height, water activities or driving in public transport. These activities could endanger the donor or others in the event of discomfort or a fall after donation.
  2. The blood establishment must request that all health problems omitted during the pre-interview or reported to donors within 15 days of a donation be reported to them, the safety of the recipients depends on it.

At the time of the pre-donation medical interview, the information could be omitted because it was not available at the time. The most common cause is that of incubating an infection.

In the event of a fever occurring in the hours or days following a donation, the infectious agent may already be present in the blood at the time of donation and represent a potential risk for the future recipient. The establishment of a transfusion should be prevented.

Last Words

In the majority of cases, the blood is still stored in the facility and has not been transfused. The doctor can then have it destroyed. If it has already been transfused, an investigation can then be triggered thanks to the traceability of the transfused products so that biological tests are carried out on the recipients.