Blood provides the body with oxygen. Too much is lost in the case of a serious accident or a major Operation, life is dangerous. Then blood is to be used. It is not the full blood of other people, but only a part of it: erythrocytes, for example, the red blood cells, platelets, i.e., platelets, or blood plasma, the cell-free blood fluid.
Of the 4.7 million liters of such blood products be administered to patients according to Andreas Humpe, Director of transfusion medicine at the hospital of the LMU in Munich, a year in Germany. In addition to accidents and operations, there is still a further typical reason for transfusions, he says: “The patients are disease with cancer, in which chemotherapy-eventually, the formation of blood wears off.”
Precisely when a blood transfusion is needed, you can not lump tell. Although there are guidelines with limit values, from which a Transfusion is advisable. “Under such a limit, the organism often takes damage, if he gets no Transfusion,” says Kristina Hölig, the head of the transfusion medicine at the University hospital Dresden and President of the professional Association of German transfusion doctors.
In addition to the guidelines, the physician must, however, have always the whole: “A 20-Year-old with a healthy cardiovascular System compensates for the much lower values than an 80-Year-old, who already have certain heart problems, blood circulation disorders in the brain or a lung that no longer functions correctly.”
Emergency: blood group 0 always fits
A Transfusion is necessary, make the doctors search for the matching of blood. For this, blood group and antibodies are checked, and a tolerance trial carried out. The blood group of States, which are proteins located on the surface of red blood cells. You are foreign, the immune system, and the blood can clump together.
“The Whole thing is not only then, when we speak of an acute emergency, in which no time delay is allowed to give,” said Humpe. Then will be given to blood group 0, which, in principle, each can handle, because the critical proteins are missing. The studies will be defined later.
Like almost all medical treatments, a blood transfusion has risks. Many people are afraid of infections. These risk scales Hölig, however, as very low. Since 1998, the transfusion law applies in Germany. “There is regulated, how to recover blood and also have to test,” explains Hölig. “If you don’t, you clearly punishable by law.”
Apart from that, it can cause intolerance reactions. Trigger any remaining white blood cells of the donor are often. This can lead to reactions such as chills or Nausea. Then the Transfusion must be stopped immediately, in case of doubt, the reactions, however, occur up to two weeks delayed. And there is also a risk of Confusion in the hospital.
Nevertheless, Humpe stresses: “At the end of the day, you have to say that without blood transfusions, a variety of therapies we can offer patients today would be possible.” He has no reason, therefore, from a doctor point of view, required blood transfusion as a Patient to refuse. Also, there are hardly any Alternatives for the often life-necessary treatment.
Autologous blood donations, in which the patient before a scheduled Operation, a supply of one’s own blood is removed, would be one of them – but they are decreased significantly. “In many patients the disease is due to a companion or a corresponding age is not feasible without endangering you,” said Humpe. “I own the blood, causing I Yes, ultimately, a anemia in the patient. But he must go in a particular state in the Operation inside.”
Blood management in the hospital
The importance of the so-called Patient Blood Management (PBM) wins, however. “You look at the patient before a major Operation,” explains Ruth Hecker, Chairman of the action Alliance for patient safety (APS). “What he has for diseases such as values, his blood, what can you do to improve this, can you give it to him in advance about iron or other preparations?” In addition, he is relieved in the hospital as little blood as possible. According to Humpe but, these measures are not an Alternative to blood transfusion, but only a Supplement.
Hecker advises, to ask before surgery, the doctor: “what is the nature of my blood, I can go to well in a SURGERY or something to help?” Patients can also ask about Patient Blood Management. The concept needs time. Clinics that advertise with PBM, are prepared for it but, “you ask for office hours and resources available,” says Hecker, who is at the University hospital food for the patients in charge of security.
Also if someone has concerns regarding a blood transfusion, they can be in the interview clarified: “As to surgery, to get a single education on the topic of blood transfusion. Also, after a disaster you have to get behind a safety awareness,” says Hecker.