Packed Red Cells

 

        Presentation

        •     Hct 0.6 -0.8

        •     Half volume of whole blood

        •     Contain some white cells, platelets & a small amount of plasma plus 60 - 100 ml of additive

 

        Indication:

        •     Anaemia,

        •     Volume replacement together with NS or other plasma expanders

 

        Cautions

        •     Storage life 21 - 35 days

 

Packed Red Cells with leukocytes removed

 

        Presentation

        •     Modification of red cells by washing, centrifugation, filtration

        •     Removal of leukocytes & platelets

 

        Indication:

        •     GVHD

        •     Febrile transfusion reactions

 

        Cautions

        •     Storage life 21 - 35 days

        •     Side effects as for whole blood

 

Platelets

 

        Presentation

        •     Transfused as a platelet concentrate

        •     Usually, > 5.5 x 1010 platelets in 40 -70 ml plasma

 

        Indication:

        •     Bleeding due to deficiency of platelets or due to functionally abnormal platelets

 

        Cautions

        •     Platelets should be stored at 20 — 24 °C on a horizontal shaker

        •     Side effects as for whole blood

Fresh Frozen Plasma

 

        Presentation

        •     Contains all coagulation factors

        •     approx 200 ml

        •     Stored at -30°C and thawed immediately before use

 

        Indication:

        •     Volume replacement

        •     Coagulation defects [including labile factors V & VIII]

 

        Cautions

        •     FFP of same ABO group as recipient should be preferably given; Rh grouping need not be considered

        •     Side effects as for whole blood

 

 

 

 

Cryoprecipitate

 

        Presentation

        •     Prepared by thawing FFP at 1— 6°C & recovering the precipitate —> this cold insoluble ppt is refrozen

        •     Each bag contains approx 100 units factor VIII [antihaemophilic factor] & 150 mg fibrinogen [factor I] in 15 ml plasma

        •     Source of factors VIII, XIII [fibrin stabilising factor] fibrinogen & von Willebrand factor

 

        Indication:

        •     Factor VIII deficiency ie haemophilia & von Willebrand’s disease

        •     Fibrinogen deficiency states

 

        Cautions

        •     Side effects as for whole blood