Blood Transfusion and Associated Risks

Since time immemorial blood has been revered. It is because blood is the fluid that keeps us alive. People boost of blood ties, blood brothers etc, yet there may come a time when a stranger’s blood may save you. This process of transferring blood or blood based products from one person to another is known as blood transfusion. Massive amount of blood loss due to injury or surgery requires transfusion as also certain blood diseases like anemia, leukemia and thalessemia. Although the process can save lives, care must be taken during the process to prevent complications and infection. Instead of whole blood, the required components of blood are preferred for transfusions now.

Compatibility- Precaution must be taken to match the blood from both the donor and the recipient. Apart from blood group, Rh factor and antigen red cells should also be matched carefully. Pregnant Rh – women carrying Rh+ baby are given immunoglobulin doses during and after pregnancy so that there is complete compatibility between the blood of the mother and child.

Fatal Infections during Transfusion- Donors should be carefully screened and tested before the blood is taken for transfusion. Otherwise there is a chance of  contracting fatal infectious diseases like HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis being passed into the blood of the recipient.
If  blood is required for a new born baby, then it is a common practice nowadays to use only specially treated non infectious pediatric blood components. Bacterial infections from donated blood is rare.

Reactions to Blood Received- Sometimes the recipient suffers a hemolytic reaction after transfusion. The fever caused as a result of the reaction lasts a few days and is not life taking.

Transfusion associated lung injury causes acute respiratory distress and may result in death.

Other risks- Problems may occur due to  increased iron or increased volume of blood transference. Mismatched blood may send the patient into severe shock and ultimately cause death.