Blood donations vital to patients

DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like to find out more information on donating blood plasma. A friend of mine said it wasn’t bad. What are the pros and cons of donating?

DEAR READER: Apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) is a unique process that allows a person to donate platelets, plasma or red blood cells, and then the rest of the blood is returned to the body. The plasma you refer to is the liquid part of blood that contains vital clotting factors and carries nutrients throughout the body. It is in demand for people with bleeding disorders, cancer, premature infants, organ transplants and burn victims.

Whole blood is drawn from a donor’s arm through sterile tubing and into an automated blood collection (ABC) system that separates the blood into the various components. The component (such as plasma, which is the most common donation) is collected through sterile methods, and the balance of the whole blood is returned to the donor through the sterile tubing connection. The procedure takes up to two hours, which is longer than normal blood donation. Minor side effects of apheresis include a slight chill and tingling around the mouth.

Six “whole blood” donors produce a combination of one unit of platelets for transfusion. Through the ABC system, one individual can give a full unit of the specific component needed. Plasma is always in great demand. One example is a single cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, who may require as many as eight units of platelets each week.

Donation follows guidelines provided for whole-blood donors. A person must be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, be at least 17 years old, and can’t have had aspirin or any aspirin-containing medication 48 hours prior to donation. Platelets can be donated as often as every seven days, however, no more frequently than 24 times each year. Plasma can be donated every four weeks, and red blood cells can be donated every eight or 16 weeks, depending on the donation process.

All phases of collection are performed by trained personnel under sterile conditions. Readers who would like additional information on apheresis can contact the American Red Cross by phone at 800-GIVELIFE or online at www.redcross.org.

You’ve now been informed of the pros of donation. To the best of my knowledge, the cons don’t exist, with the exception of the minor side effects mentioned.