A clinicians know how about the basics of Blood components.

1. Blood Component
Therapy

2. •Gravity
•Apheresis
Blood Components:
•Red Cell Concentrate ( pRBC)
•Leukoreduced RBC
•Platelet Concentrate
•Leukoreduced Platelets
•Fresh Frozen Plasma
•Cryoprecipitate
•Cryo poor Plasma
•Granulocyte concentrate
•Low and high speed Centrifugation

3. Whole Blood
Soft spin @ 2000 rpm for 3min
pRBC Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
Hard Spin @5000 rpm for 5 mins
Platelet ConcentrateFresh Frozen Plasma
Cryoprecipitate
Plasma Derivatives

4. Need of blood component therapy:
 It aims at transfusing only the required component.
 It helps to prevent the wastage of a resource , ie, blood.
 Blood from a single donor can be used to provide blood
components to multiple patients.
 Prevents circulatory overload.

5. Blood Collection
 Is done using a 16 G needle
 450 ml of blood is collected in a
continuous flow into a primary
bag which has 63 ml of
anticoagulant and preservative
solution.
 The primary blood collecting bag
is attached to 1, 2 or 3 satellite
bags forming the basis of
component separation through a
closed system.

7. Blood preservatives:
Solution Purpose Storage
Period
Components
CPD Anticoagulation and
storage of blood
21 days Sodium Citrate : Binds with Calcium
and acts as an anticoagulant
Phosphate
(Sodium di phospahte): Prevents fall
in pH
Dextrose: Supports ATP generation
by glycolytic pathway.
*Adenine: Substrate for ATP
synthesis.
CPDA 1 Anticoagulation and
storage of blood
35 days
SAG- M Red cell
preservation
42 days Sodium chloride: Adjusts osmotic
pressure
Adenine: Substrate for ATP synthesis
Glucose: Supports ATP production
Mannitol: Supports integrity of red
cell membrane

8. Whole Blood
 The only indication for whole blood transfusion today is
Exchange transfusion.
 Stored at a temperature of 1-6.
C
 Raises Hb by 1 gm% and Hematocrit by 3%.
 Should be transfused within 4 hours of issuing from blood
bank.

9. pRBC
 Has the same Oxygen carrying capacity as Whole blood but
has half the volume ( prevents circulatory overload).
 Has significantly lower levels of electrolytes, metabolites and
agglutinins.
 Volume: 200 ml
 Stored at a temperature of 1-6.
C
 Raises Hb by 1 gm% and Hematocrit by 3%
 Should be transfused within 4 hours of issuing from blood
bank.

10. Leukoreduced RBC
 These are packed red cells from which 99.9% white cells
have been removed either by filtration or by
freezing/thawing/washing.
 The white blood cells are the reason for non hemolytic febrile
reactions.
 The immunomodulatory effect of blood transfusion is due to
WBC’s which is said to increase the risk of Post operative
infections.
 Leukoreduction is an expensive procedure.
 Leukoreduction reduces the risk if transmission of EBV, CMV
and HTLV.

11. AAAB Clinical practice guidelines for Red
Cell transfusion (2016)
 It recommends a restrictive RBC transfusion threshold of
7gm% in hospitalised hemodynamically stable patients,
including critical care patients, rather than 10 gm%.
 For patients undergoing orthopedic and cardiac surgery and
those with existing Cardiovascular disease, it recommends
restrictive RBC transfusion threshold of 8 gm%.
AAAB: American Association of Blood Banks

12. Platelet concentrate:
 It is harvested from PRP ( platelet rich plasma) by separating
the plasma.
 Volume: 50-80 ml
 Dose: 1 unit/ 10 kg body weight
 1 unit increases the platelet count by 10-15, 000/ul.
 Stored at 20-24.
C on an agitator
 Shelf life: 5 days
 SDP ( Single donor platelet) is equivalent to 6 RDP units.
 1 unit SDP has 3*10 11
platelets.

13. Indications for Platelet Transfusion:
 In stable patients with normal platelet function, when platelet
count is <10,000.
 For elective procedure:
Minor (eg, LP) when count <50000
Major suregry when count <100000

14. Fresh Frozen Plasma
 It has:
all coagulation factors
Plasma proteins ( eg, albumin)
Factor VIII
Fibrinogen
 Volume: 180-220 ml
 Stored at -20.
C
 Shelf life: 1 year
 Dose: 15-20 ml/kg body weight
 Transfusion should be completed within 30 mins of issue.

15. Indications for FFP use:
Deficiency of coagulation factors ( Vit K dependent)
Hemophilia A
DIC
Massive transfusion
Reversal of warfarin therapy
 It should not be used for:
Volume expansion
Immunoglobulin replacement
Nutritional Support
Wound Healing

16. Cryoprecipitate
 They are cold precipitated proteins of plasma
 Volume: 10-20 ml
 Very rich in Factor VIII , Fibrinogen and vWF ( von
Willebrand’s factor).
 Stored at -20.
C
 Shelf life: 1 year
 Dose : 1 unit /10 kg body weight
 Mainly used for treating coagulopathy due to
Hypofibrinogemia.