“We never think we’re going to need platelets. We hope we won’t need it, but it’s important to know that it will be there if we do.”
— Tom Lowe
Different patients need different types of blood components, depending on their illness or injury. After you donate whole blood, the unit can be separated into platelets, red cells and plasma in a laboratory. Apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets. During the apheresis procedure, all but the needed blood component(s) are returned to the donor.
Why should someone give platelets through apheresis when platelets are already collected in a blood donation?
The best thing about donating platelets is that while the platelets from six whole blood donations must be pooled together to provide a single platelet transfusion, one apheresis donation provides enough platelets for a complete transfusion for one person. This helps lessen reactions in people who must receive transfusions on a regular basis.
Yes, very safe. Trained staff members closely supervise each donation. Only a small percentage of your platelets are collected, so there are no risks of bleeding problems. Your body will replace the donated platelets within 48 hours. The donation equipment (needle, tubing and collection bag) is sterile and is discarded after every donation, making it impossible to contract a disease from the process.
Only for a second. Like a regular blood donation, after the initial insertion of the needle, there is no discomfort.
Blood is drawn from your arm through sterile tubing into a one-time-use kit that has been put into a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the blood to separate the components, which vary in weight and density. A port is opened along the spinning tubing at the level containing platelets. These platelets are drawn up through the port and into the collection bag, while the remaining blood components (red cells and plasma) are returned to you in your other arm.
There is also the option of donating on a single tube machine, which can collect just platelets or, with your permission and as long as you meet certain eligibility requirements, platelets and other components of your blood, such as red cells. The blood would be drawn and returned to you through the same needle.
Depending on your weight and height, the actual apheresis donation process will take approximately 70 minutes to two hours. You may watch television, videotapes or DVDs, listen to music, surf the Internet, or simply sit back and relax knowing you are helping save lives.
