Blood Bank

Blood banking refers to the process of collecting, separating, and storing blood.  Today, blood banks collect blood and separate it into its various components so they can be used most effectively according to the needs of the patient. Red blood cells carry oxygen, platelets help the blood clot, and plasma has specific proteins that allow proper regulation of coagulation and healing. Although research has yielded drugs that help people’s bone marrow produce new blood cells more rapidly, the body’s response time can still take weeks, thus donated blood remains an important and more immediate life-saving resource. Blood is the vital connection to having a healthy body, and according to the American Red Cross, nearly 5 million people receive blood transfusions each year. Thanks to years of research, much progress has been made towards making transfusions safer and more effective.

Blood bank:

A place where blood is collected from donors, typed, separated into components, stored, and prepared for transfusion to recipients. A blood bank may be a separate free-standing facility or part of a larger laboratory in a hospital.  

Who receives blood:

Accident victims, people undergoing surgery and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, all utilize blood. Over 20 million units of blood components are transfused every year in the US.  

Giving blood to yourself:

Patients scheduled for surgery may be eligible to donate blood for themselves, a process known as autologous blood donation. In the weeks before non-emergency surgery, an autologous donor may be able to donate blood that will be stored until the surgical procedure.  

Typing and testing blood:

After blood is drawn, it is tested for the ABO blood group type and the Rh type (positive or negative), as well as for any unexpected red blood cell antibodies that may cause problems in the recipient. Screening tests are also performed for evidence of donor infection with hepatitis viruses B and C, human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) 1 and 2, human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) I and II and syphilis.