Blood Component Separation; Introduction; Blood Bank Collection Overview - Beckman Coulter Avanti J Series Instructions For Use Manual

Introduction

This Appendix provides a basic overview of blood separation procedures using Beckman Coulter J series
centrifuges.

Blood Bank Collection Overview

Blood is composed of plasma, red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets.
Approximately 40 to 45 percent of this volume is made up of red blood cells; most of the remainder
is plasma, a watery substance that contains vital substances, including hormones and proteins.
Most whole blood collected undergoes fractionation, or separation into components, in order to use
collected blood most efficiently. Termed "component therapy," multiple use of different parts of
the blood helps conserve this scarce resource and allows patients to receive only the components
they need. As shelf life and storage requirements vary, conditions can be optimized by separating
components.
In addition to collection of whole blood for separation into components, several techniques involve
collection of whole blood, separation, collection of a fraction for infusion, and return of the
remainder to the donor.
• In plasmapheresis a unit of blood is taken to obtain plasma, separated, and the red cells are
immediately reinfused to the donor. Most plasmapheresis is performed for "source plasma,"
which is not intended for intravenous transfusion, but separated by large-scale fractionation
into clotting factors (especially factor VIII), albumin, and specific immunoglobulins.
• During plateletpheresis, whole blood is collected, platelets separated via centrifugations, and
platelet-depleted red blood cells returned to the donor. The plasma may be returned to the
donor or collected for fractionation into clotting factors and albumin.
• Leukapheresis is the separation of leukocytes, or white blood cells, from whole blood. The
leukocyte-depleted and platelet-depleted red blood cells are continuously or intermittently
returned to the donor.
PN JR-IM-10AG

Blood Component Separation

APPENDIX D
D-1