Blood Components
What Component of the blood takes up the highest percentage of blood volume?
Plasma (55%)
What can Red Blood Cells be used for in blood transfusions?
- treats anaemia, trauma, or blood loss during childbirth or surgery
What is the shelf life of red blood cells?
42 Days
What can White Blood Cells do?
- protect the body from foreign bodies and harmful microbes
What can White Blood Cells be used for in blood transfusions?
Trick Question! White Blood Cells are not transfused.
What is the shelf life of white blood cells?
24 Hours
What can Red Blood Cells do?
- carry oxygen to the cells of the body using haemoglobin
- transports carbon dioxide from cells to lungs for excretion
What can Platelets be used for in blood transfusions?
- manage haemorrhage from trauma, dengue fever, platelet defieciency, or cancers like leukemia
What is the shelf life of platelets?
3-5 Days
What can Platelets do?
- control bleeding by forming clotting factors to prevent blood leakage
What can Plasma be used for in blood transfusions?
- replace clotting factors, which may be depleted from bleeding or infection
What is the shelf life of Plasma?
1 Year (If frozen)
What can Plasma do?
- fight infection and cancer
- able to treat bleeding disorders due to clotting factors
Why aren't White Blood Cells able to be transfused? (Extra)
- shelf life is very short
- White Blood Cells could recognise recipient's body as foreign and attack it