Blood transfusion

Blood transfusion is the taking of blood or blood-based products from one individual and inserting them into the circulatory system of another. It can be considered a form of organ transplant. Blood transfusions may treat medical conditions, such as massive blood loss due to trauma, surgery, shock and where the red cell producing mechanism (or some other normal and essential component) fails (see blood diseases).

Blood transfusion substitutes

There are currently no clinically acceptable oxygen-carrying blood substitutes for humans, however, there are widely available non-blood volume expanders and other blood saving techniques. These are helping doctors and surgeons avoid the risks of disease transmission and immune suppression, address the chronic blood donor shortage and address the religious objections of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Related Topics:
Blood substitutes - Jehovah's Witnesses

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A number of blood substitutes are currently in the clinical evaluation stage. Most attempts to find a suitable alternative to blood have so far concentrated on cell-free haemoglobin solutions. Blood substitutes could make transfusions more readily available in emergency medicine and in pre-hospital EMS care. If successful such a blood substitute could save many lives, particularly in traumas where massive blood loss results.

Related Topics:
Blood substitutes - Emergency medicine - EMS

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~