Your blood is made up of different components, such as red blood cells, plasma, and white blood cells. When you give blood, you can either donate whole blood, which is a unit of all four components, or just plasma or platelets.
An IV is placed in your arm to collect blood during this process. After about a pint of blood has been removed, it is stored in a container. For those simply donating whole blood, this signals the end of the process. However, donating plasma takes a bit longer.
After extracting blood, you remain connected to the IV until the whole blood is sent to a centrifuge, which separates the blood into its various components. Once the whole blood is sent to the machine, the rest of your blood and its fluids are returned to you.
The process is repeated multiple times, and the amount of plasma or platelets that can be collected increases. After you donate plasma or platelets, the other fluids are returned to you, and you can go home.
What Is Plasma?
A type of liquid that’s made up of water, plasma is a vital component of blood that carries various enzymes, proteins, and essential ions. It can also help in the production of antibodies.
In response to viral outbreaks, such as SARS, Ebola, and Measles, plasma has been used in combination with other medical procedures to treat patients. Over the course of the pandemic, the FDA approved a plasma therapy to treat patients with COVID-19.
In theory, convalescent plasma can help patients with COVID-19 by providing them with antibodies that they can use to fight against the disease.
Individuals who have experienced severe trauma, such as a burn or shock, often lose a lot of blood volume. They also don’t have enough electrolytes to properly balance the body’s pH level and water. A plasma transfusion can help restore the patients’ electrolyte levels and blood pressure.
Individuals with certain blood disorders, such as liver disease, can also be given plasma transfusions to prevent them from experiencing excessive bleeding. These individuals can receive a transfusion to improve their clotting capabilities and prevent them from experiencing a blood loss.
In children and adults with cancer, plasma transfusions are sometimes needed to maintain their natural clotting factors.
Donating plasma is a worthwhile cause that can help with a myriad of health issues. Discover how you can get involved!