Autologous transfusion means collection and reinfusion of the patient’s own red blood cells. This is in contrast to allogenic blood transfusion where blood from unrelated/anonymous donors is transfused to the recipient. Need for Autologous Blood Transfusion Transfusion is important part of modern medical practice. However, the safety of the procedure is a great concern. Allogeneic […]
Hematology
Hemolytic Disease of Newborn
Hemolytic disease of the newborn is a condition that develops in a fetus, when the maternal antibodies pass through the placenta and attack antigens on the red blood cells in the fetal circulation, breaking down and destroying the cells. The condition of the fetus could be from mild to very severe, and fetal death from […]
Blood Transfusion-Indications and Procedure
Blood transfusion is generally the process of infusing blood or blood products into one’s circulation intravenously. Globally around 85 million units of red blood cells are transfused in a given year. Blood transfusion is indicated for replacing lost components of the blood. Earlier whole blood was transfused but the modern practice is to transfuse only […]
Blood Substitutes and Their Uses
Blood substitutes or artificial blood or blood surrogates are substances used to carry out some functions of biological blood. The term blood substitute is also used with volume expanders but their scope is different. The better term for them is plasma substitutes and they are discussed later. The use of oxygen-carrying blood substitutes is often called oxygen […]
Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury or TRALI
Transfusion related acute lung injury or TRALI is a complication of blood transfusion which is characterized by the acute onset of pulmonary edema which is non-cardiogenic. Transfusion-related acute lung injury typically occurs within the first six hours following a transfusion. It is believed to occur in approximately one in every 5000 transfusions and is typically […]
G6PD Deficiency-Classification, Investigations, and Treatment
Glucose 6 Phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency or G6PD deficiency is the most common metabolic disorder of red blood cells. It is a genetic disorder in which there is a deficiency of enzyme Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or G6PD in the blood. This enzyme plays a role in Hexose monophosphate pathway [a metabolic pathway involved in the formation of […]
Hereditary Spherocytosis- Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Hereditary spherocytosis is a familial hemolytic disorder associated with a variety of mutations that lead to defects in red blood cell membrane proteins. The name comes from the presence of spherocytes in the blood. Spherocytes are small cells that lack a central pallor and appear darkly stained. It is characterized by anemia, intermittent jaundice, splenomegaly […]
Hemolytic Anemia-Causes and Treatment
Hemolytic anemia is anemia that results from an increased rate of red blood cell destruction. The term hemolytic anemia or hemolytic disorders is limited to conditions in which the rate of red cell destruction is accelerated and the ability of the bone marrow to respond to the stimulus of anemia is unimpaired. Pathophysiology of Hemolytic […]
Anemia- Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Anemia is defined as a decrease in the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood which decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Anemia isn’t a disease in itself, but a manifestation of malfunction somewhere in the body. Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood affecting about a […]
Anemia of Prematurity
What is Anemia of Prematurity? All newborn infants manifest a decrease in hemoglobin. In the uterus, the tissue is in a relatively hypoxic state whereas after birth there is a relatively hyperoxic state. This leads to an increased oxygen concentration in the tissue which leads to a decrease in erythropoietin concentration. In the term infant, […]