Information and Updates

Blood preparation is the process of separating whole blood into its primary constituents. This "component therapy" ensures that patients receive only the specific part of the blood they lack, reducing the risk of volume overload and transfusion reactions.

The Centrifugation Process

• Soft Spin: Initial centrifugation separates the "red cell" mass from the "platelet-rich plasma" (PRP).

• Hard Spin: A second, faster rotation separates the platelets from the plasma.

• Leukoreduction: Specialized filters are used to remove white blood cells (leukocytes) from the red cells. This is crucial for preventing febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions and reducing the transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV).

• Apheresis: A more advanced automated process where blood is taken from a donor, the desired component (like platelets) is removed, and the remaining blood is returned to the donor in a single continuous loop.