Safe blood and blood products: Manual on the management, maintenance and use of blood cold chain equipment

Overview

Blood transfusion is an essential therapeutic intervention. We all may need blood in an emergency, and some of us need regular transfusions. The purpose of a transfusion is to provide the blood component(s) that will improve the physiological status of the patient. Various blood components can be harvested from a single donation of whole blood. Most blood banks are able to separate red cells and plasma components. Others are able to prepare components such as platelet concentrates and cryoprecipitate. All these components, prepared by centrifugation, are often referred to as ‘wet or labile products’. Other plasma products, generally referred to as plasma derivatives, can be harvested from plasma by a pharmaceutical process called plasma fractionation, which renders their properties stable.