Blood products

Blood products - Donated blood that is separated into its various components: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma (see blood donation). Each blood product has a specific lifespan and use in blood transfusion.

Packed red cells (blood with most of the plasma removed) are used to treat patients with some forms of chronic anaemia and babies with haemolytic disease of the newborn. Washed red cells (with white blood cells and/or plasma proteins removed) are used when a person needs repeated transfusions because there is less risk of an allergy to any of the blood components developing.

Platelets may be given in transfusions for people with blood-clotting disorders. Patients who have life-threatening infections may be treated with granulocytes, a type of white blood cell. Fresh frozen plasma is used to correct many types of bleeding disorder because it contains all the clotting factors. Albumin, prepared from the plasma of whole blood, is used mainly to treat shock resulting from severe blood loss until compatible whole blood becomes available.

Purified albumin preparations are used to treat nephrotic syndrome and chronic liver disease. Concentrates of blood clotting factors VIII and IX are used in the treatment of haemophilia and Christmas disease.

Immunoglobulins (also called antibodies), which are extracted from blood plasma, can be given by injection (see immunoglobulin injection) to protect people who are unable to produce their own antibodies or have already been exposed to an infectious agent, or to provide short-term protection against hepatitis A.

Immunoglobulins are given in large doses to treat certain autoimmune disorders.