Red Blood Cells
- Red cells give blood its colour and accounts for up to 40% of its volume.
- The main function of these cells is to carry oxygen from the lungs to al the cells of the body and remove waste products such as carbon dioxide.
- Red cells have a shelf life of up to 42 days, stored in refrigeration.
Transfusions of red blood cells are used to treat people:
- With severe anaemia (such as Thalassaemia Major);
- Whose red blood cells do not function adequately: and
- Who experience severe bleeding, such as accident victims and patients surgery.
Plasma
- It is the straw coloured fluid in which the red cells, white cells and platelets are suspended.
- It contains very important nutrients and clotting factors which helps prevent or stop bleeding.
- An average adult has approximately five litres of blood, three litres of which is plasma and 17 different products can be made from plasma donations.
- Plasma is stored frozen and has a shelf life of up to 12 months.
It is the most versatile component of blood as it can be processed into a variety of products and each product can be used to treat a number of potentially life-threatening conditions including burns, creating immunisations and helping haemophiliacs.
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Platelets
- Platelets assist in the blood clotting process.
- They are literally tiny plates that wedge together covering ters in the blood vessels and preventing blood from leaking into surrounding tissue.
- Platelets are stored at room temperature and have a shelf life of only 5 days. This is why it is vital to have a constant flow of blood donations coming in.
Platelets are used primarily in the treatment of people with various cancers. Diseases such as leukaemia and medical treatments like chemotherapy can decrease a person’s platelet count. If the number of platelets becomes too low spontaneous bleeding can occur. Even a small amount of bleeding can be dangerous, particularly if it occurs in the brain.
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