You may have heard of blood donations, but what is a platelet donation? This article will tell you the basics of what you need to know about platelet donations; from the name itself, you will know that it is about donating platelet.
Did you know our blood is composed of different components? Did you also know that these components can be donated separately? You will also be able to read about the other components of blood and their purposes. Our body has a fascinating way of functioning, and you can now explore more about it. By reading this article, you may learn how much more significant our blood plays in our survival. So, without further ado, let’s start!
Components Of Blood
What are the components of blood? Our blood has features that can be donated individually. There are five components in our blood. Here you can read and learn about each element.
Component #1. Red blood cells
The red blood cells or RBCs are responsible for delivering oxygen supply to the different organs of our body. They carry the oxygen from our lungs through our bloodstream, and this is how they distribute. That is why athletes or physically active people have more oxygenated blood because they have a more active bloodstream. Red blood cells give our blood the distinct color red. These cells are produced in our bone marrow. When kept in a container for donation, it has a shelf life of up to 42 days. It needs to be refrigerated when stored. Know what is a double red blood donation.
Component #2. Platelets
Platelets are the ones responsible for patching up any of your wounds. It is colorless that stick to each other to create a wall of protection from foreign bodies. They may appear as a yellowish patch of hard skin minutes after the flesh has been torn. Their shelf life is only five days. They don’t need to refrigerate and only need to be stored at room temperature. However, they need to be moved constantly to prevent them from clumping. They are used for treating cancer patients. Dengue patients have a drop in their platelet count, causing internal bleeding. This is also where they are needed.
Component #3. Plasma
Plasma is the liquid part of our blood, and the blood cells are only suspended in plasma. Because of the abundance of red blood cells may look like the liquid part of blood would be red too. Plasma is yellowish. Once this blood component has been separated from whole blood, it can be seen to have played no part in giving blood its red color. It is made almost entirely of water and only about 8% of other essential proteins, minerals, hormones, and vitamins. When storing plasma, it can have a shelf life of up to a year. They need to be kept frozen too. Plasma is commonly required for people with bleeding disorders. Plasma carries electrolytes that our muscles need and also maintains the pH balance in our bodies.
Component #4. Cryo
Cryo is a portion of the plasma that is extracted by slowing thawing frozen plasma. Cryo has a distinguished white color. This blood component can also be stored frozen for a year, just like plasma. They have exceptional blood clotting factors that help reduce blood loss. They help slow down bleeding when the body is injured. With the bleeding slowed down, the platelets will then be able to close the wound. Cryo is mainly used on patients diagnosed with Hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease.
Component #5. White Blood Cells
White blood cells are the ones fighting foreign bodies that may enter the body and cause harm. Viruses and bacteria are some examples of the foreign bodies it destroys. When a white blood cell has encountered a bacteria or virus, it creates an antibody against it. The person then develops immunity against them. Usually among those who need a platelet donation also need white blood cells. The fact that they need to stop bleeding or internal bleeding indicates that their body needs more “soldiers” to fight the virus weakening their systems.
What A Platelet Donation Is?
You may be wondering, what is a platelet donation? Before your platelet donation, make sure to be well-rested. Have a diet rich in calcium days before. Medical centers for blood donations use a machine to extract only the platelets for a platelet donation. Both arms will be used for this procedure.
When your blood is drawn from one arm, it goes through the machine to get the platelets and returns the rest of the blood to the other arm. It might feel chilly when the blood returns to you, and they will provide blankets to keep warm. The process takes about 3 hours to complete. It is advised that the donors drink plenty of fluids and rest after making their donation to recover the lost platelets quickly. You may want to read about the 13 super health benefits of blood donation regularly.
It’s A Wrap!
Now that you know what is a platelet donation, you might also want to know that you can donate up to 24 times a year. You may donate platelets every seven days. We are sure the people who need them are grateful for it. Thank you for reading this article! You may also be interested to know why is blood donation important and why was my blood donation rejected.