We know that donating blood can save a patient’s life, but we do not always know the path of the blood bag from the donor to the recipient. Before transfusion, the blood bag follows a very strict protocol. Everything happens relatively quickly since the lifespan of a blood bag is only 42 days. A transfused person can therefore be assured that the blood they receive is fresh and has not been kept for months in the freezer.

Blood is drawn

The first step is the blood sample, carried out by a nurse. Before donating, medical staff check their suitability for donation. The donor must be between 18 and 70 years old and weigh more than 50 kg. Men can donate blood up to 6 times a year and women up to 4 times. And between two blood donations, they must respect a minimum period of 8 weeks. The sample takes approximately 10 minutes.

The donor will not be able to donate if he / she is undergoing treatment including taking antibiotics ongoing or stopped for less than 2 weeks; if he has had surgery in the last 4 months; if they have tattoos or piercings that are less than 4 months old; if they have a history of drug use; if he has had sex with several different partners in the past 4 months; or if he has stayed in an area where certain diseases may be rife.

Prepare the blood product

Once the blood has been collected, a bar code is attached to it in order to be able to find the donor throughout the course of the bag. The blood will then be filtered, in order to remove the white blood cells, then it will go to the centrifuge for good separate components: red blood cells, plasma and platelets. You are never transfused with the whole bag of blood. But only the component that needs.

We check the quality of the blood

For each component, we check the blood group but also its quality. If problematic viruses or bacteria are found in the samples, the bag will be destroyed and the donor will be contacted so that they can be taken care of.

We distribute the blood

If no abnormalities are found, then blood will be distributed to patients as needed. 1 hospitals and clinics are thus supplied throughout the country by the French Blood Establishment. In France, each transfused patient receives an average of 5 blood products. The demand is immense: 10 blood donations are needed per day. Thus, more than a million patients are treated each year thanks to these donations.

What pathologies do we treat with blood?

According to a survey conducted by the EFS, almost half (47%) of transfused patients suffer from blood diseases and cancers like leukemia or lymphoma. ” Surgical interventions concern a little more than a third (35%) of transfused patients. », Note the authors of this work. ” This study also revealed that 80% of products transfused are red blood cells, that 52% of transfusions are scheduled and that the average age of recipients is 65 years. »

Blood donations are also used to deal with emergencies, such as bleeding during childbirth or an accident. Finally, blood products can be used to manufacture drugs (immunoglobulins, coagulation factors, etc.). Most of the time, red blood cells are transfused. But in the event of significant bleeding or for severe burns, plasma will also be transfused.

Claire Verdier

Read also: 10 good reasons to donate blood