Biology in Focus, HSC Course Glenda Childrawi, Margaret Robson and Stephanie Hollis Maintaining a Balance Topic 12: Donated Blood and its Products

DOT POINT Analyse information from secondary sources to identify and describe the products extracted from donated blood and the uses of these products.

Donated Blood Almost 200 years ago, humans trialled human-to-human blood transfusions in an attempt to treat massive bleeding and its associated risks. At first, these transfusions gave mixed results – some were highly successful, whereas others resulted in death in patients. heart-valve-surgery.com

Donated Blood It was only discovered 8o years later that people have specific, inherited blood types and that transfusions of incompatible blood groups were fatal. beltina.org

Donated Blood Cross-matching of blood groups became the first and critical step before blood donation could take place and, as the number of successful transfusions increased, many lives were saved, particularly during wars. Since the early 1900’s major advances in blood donation technology have been made, largely driven by the military. historyking.com

Research Challenge The initial challenge facing blood transfusion units was the lack of available on-site donors. Research into blood donation technology progressed and the shelf life of blood was increased by adding chemicals such as citrate-glucose, making the storage of blood and the development of ‘blood banks’ possible. citysolapur.com

Research Challenge Challenges facing blood banks continued, including insufficient supplies, short shelf life and the difficulty in transporting donated blood under the necessary refrigerated conditions, particularly in war zones. Up to half the deaths of soldiers on battlefields were due to severe bleeding because donated blood could not reach them in time. worldwar42.blogspot.com

Research Challenge Continued research led to a move away from using whole blood. Instead, donated blood was separated by centrifugation and filtration into its component parts, commonly referred to as products of donated blood. newsurg.com

Research Challenge These products, including red blood cells, platelets, plasma and plasma proteins allow the treatment of the particular need of each patient by transfusing only the specific required blood products rather than whole blood has tripled the number of transfusions that can be given for each unit of blood donated. newsurg.com

Research Challenge Research then began earnest, directed towards the development of better techniques for processing and storing blood products to increase their shelf life and make them easier to transport. For example, to battlefields and sites of natural disasters. advantagemagazine.ca

Research Challenge An enormous problem which arose in the 1980’s was the risk of contracting infections from donated blood. Patients such as haemophiliacs, who were regular recipients of blood products that contained coagulants, were particularly affected. daviddarling.info

Research Challenge Blood and blood products were being screened for infective agents, but the viruses which caused diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis could bypass normal screening methods, because of a ‘window period’ between the infection of the donor and the possibility of their presence being detected in donated blood. This led to a new surge in research for safer blood products. orthocath.wordpress.com

Research Challenge One common trend that arose at around this time was a change from allogenic transfusion (blood donated by one person and transfused into another) to autologous transfusion (collection of blood and its re-transfusion into the same person). For example, some patients would donate their own blood and have it stored for their own future use, such as impending surgery. nybc.org

Research Challenge Current research continues to try to improve blood screening methods, as well as to evaluate and improve the quality of stored blood and its products. There is also research to try and increase the shelf life by implementing new methods of preservation such as freeze fractioning and recombinant manufacturing technology. frenchtribune.com

Research Challenge Another idea that arose as a result of ongoing shortages of blood and blood products, was to create ‘artificial blood’ – a suitable chemical blood substitute which could be transfused into patients to temporarily provide some of the essential life-giving functions of blood until the patient’s bone marrow could make enough blood to replenish their normal supply. bhsworldlitopedia.wikispaces.com

Research Challenge An understanding of the difficulties and risks of transfusions of donated blood and blood products gives us a good idea of the importance of the development of suitable blood substitutes. Technologies have enabled huge advances in blood research. livbit.com

Products of Donated Blood Blood products are currently grouped into two main categories, depending on their shelf life: labile products and stable products. Labile products are perishable blood components that have a short shelf life and must be transported under specific refrigerated conditions. Examples include packed red blood cells, platelets, plasma, plasma proteins and cryoprecipitate. hema-quebec.qc.ca

Products of Donated Blood Stable products have a much longer shelf life and are produced by fractioning (separating) the different protein components from the plasma or by recombinant (genetic) manufacturing methods. Examples include blood clotting factors, immunoglobulins and the blood protein albumin. All of these products are associated with little or no plasma donateblood.com.au

Products of Donated Blood Blood products and blood substitutes can also be grouped according to their function. Some examples include: Category (based on function)Blood Product Blood volume expandersPlasma, albumin Oxygen carriersPacked red blood cells CoagulantsPlatelets and clotting factors Products for immune defenceImmunoglobulins

Activity/Homework Complete DOT Point 2.9 Donated Blood and its Products (pg only)