Medical Services

Transfusion medicine

Component

Function

Indication

Additional Information
Red Blood Cells
(RBC)
Carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs Symptomatic anemia not treatable within a reasonable amount of time considering the patient’s symptoms, with specific therapy such as iron, vitamin B12, folic acid or erythropoietin Requires type and crossmatch (non-urgent situations)
Monitoring requires evaluation of hemoglobin/hematocrit and physical assessment of patient
Plasma (Thawed Plasma or Fresh Frozen Plasma/FFP) Fluid portion of that contains coagulation factors required for proper clot formation Bleeding or imminent invasive procedures with clinically significant coagulopathy, treatment or prevention of coagulopathy in massive transfusion, factor deficiency when concentrate unavailable, or plasma exchange (especially for TTP) Requires historical ABO (non-urgent situations)
Monitoring requires evaluation of PT/INR, a PTT (if indicated) and physical assessment of patient
Platelets Small megakaryocyte fragments required for proper clot formation Treatment of thrombocytopenia, platelet function abnormalities, or bleeding due to thrombocytopenia Requires historical ABO/Rh type (non-urgent situations
Monitoring requires evaluation of platelet count and physical assessment of patient.
Cryoprecipitate Prepared from plasma, contains fibrinogen, factor VIII, von Willebrand factor and small amounts of factor XIII and fibronectin Treatment or prevention of bleeding due to hypofibrinogenemia and in disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) Monitoring requires evaluation of Fibrinogen level and physical assessment of patient
Granulocytes White blood cells (neutrophils) obtained by apheresis from designated ABO-Rh compatible donor Indicated for severe neutropenia with a documented life threatening bacterial or fungal infection not responsive to appropriate antimicrobial therapy Begin transfusion ASAP, must be transfused within 24 hours of collection
Monitoring requires evaluation of granulocyte count and physical assessment of patient

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