Is blood transfusion "replenishing blood"? This article explains all the questions about blood transfusion

Recently, the emergency department of Hunan Provincial Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital) received two seriously injured middle-aged men. When they were sent to the hospital, they had lost too much blood, were pale, had cold limbs, low blood pressure, and even had symptoms of shock.

In the operating room, doctors raced against time to stop bleeding and repair damaged tissue, while the blood transfusion department responded quickly and urgently provided blood products to buy precious time to save the patient's life.

Xu Fei, director of the blood transfusion department of Hunan Provincial Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital) , introduced that in this thrilling rescue, blood transfusion is not only to replenish blood, but also the key to rebuilding the life channel.

1. The crisis of blood loss: when life is in danger

The blood in the human body is like a river, continuously transporting oxygen and nutrients and assisting in the metabolism of waste. When trauma causes severe blood loss, the blood volume drops sharply, leading to a series of life-threatening conditions such as tissue hypoxia, coagulation disorders, and organ failure.

Generally speaking: when losing 10% (about 500ml) of blood, the patient may only feel dizzy or weak; when losing 20% ​​(about 1000ml) of blood, blood pressure begins to drop, heart rate increases, and limbs become cold; when losing more than 30% (about 1500ml or more) of blood, the patient may go into shock, and if blood transfusion and fluid replacement are not given in time, death may result.

When the two patients were brought in, they had lost more than 1500ml of blood and were in critical condition. Faced with such an emergency, the blood transfusion department quickly activated the emergency plan and allocated the required blood components.

2. Precision blood transfusion: not as simple as "replenishing blood"

For patients with hemorrhagic shock, the blood transfusion department does not simply transfuse whole blood, but accurately matches and scientifically transfuses different blood components based on the patient's actual needs.

① Red blood cell suspension: restore oxygen supply capacity

Due to massive blood loss, the patient's blood's oxygen-carrying capacity is greatly reduced, resulting in brain hypoxia and insufficient blood supply to the heart. Red blood cell transfusion can increase hemoglobin levels, restore tissue oxygen supply capacity, and allow organs to "breathe" again.

②Fresh frozen plasma: replenish coagulation factors and prevent continuous bleeding

In case of severe trauma, a large amount of coagulation factors in the body will be consumed, making it difficult for the blood to coagulate and the wound to continue bleeding. Plasma contains rich coagulation factors, which can effectively improve coagulation function, help stop bleeding, maintain blood volume, and prevent further deterioration of shock.

③Cryoprecipitate: a “repair agent” for blood coagulation

Patients bleed a lot during surgery, and key coagulation factors such as fibrinogen in the body decrease rapidly, affecting normal hemostasis. After infusion of cryoprecipitate, the coagulation mechanism is restored, greatly reducing the risk of bleeding during and after surgery.

3. Blood transfusion safety: accurate matching to ensure safety

Many people think that blood transfusion is just "transfusing blood", but in fact the whole process requires strict medical management. Before blood is distributed, the blood transfusion department must conduct blood type identification and cross-matching tests to ensure that the blood donor matches the recipient and prevent hemolytic reactions due to blood type incompatibility.

At the same time, during the blood transfusion process, medical staff will closely observe whether the patient has any allergic reactions to blood transfusion, fever reactions, etc., to ensure the safety of blood transfusion.

4. Free blood donation: the baton to protect life

The successful rescue was made possible by the love and dedication of countless voluntary blood donors. Blood cannot be synthesized artificially, and only through voluntary donations from healthy people can the hospital ensure blood supply in emergency situations.

Conclusion

Blood transfusion is not only a medical treatment, but also a relay race of life. I hope everyone can understand the key role of blood transfusion and actively participate in free blood donation so that more people in need can receive timely treatment. Your blood donation may be the hope of rebirth for others!

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zhu Siyao, Blood Transfusion Department, Hunan Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital)

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(Edited by YT)