Double Red Cell Donation

Blood is the major component which supplies oxygen, vitamins, minerals, and other important elements to various parts of the body. It consists of red blood cells which carry oxygen, white blood cells which fight against various diseases and platelets which help in blood clotting. Apart from this, it also consists of plasma, enzymes, hormones, etc. It is one of the basic necessities of our body. All the components of the blood have a definite count which, if decreased or increased, may result in many health complications. Hence, people who face problems of blood and require a regular transfusion, need blood donors. People can donate blood as the blood cells regenerate and fulfill the requirement of the body.

Blood has different groups that are A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+ and O-. So according to the match, the blood is transferred to the person. In blood donation, the entire blood is transferred from the donor to the recipient. This includes all the components and it just requires a simple procedure. But nowadays, with the help of advanced technology in blood donation, one can donate only the particular component like plasma or red blood cells to the person and the rest of the blood is transferred again back to the body. So here in this Buzzle article, we will discuss details about double red blood cell donation which has brought a new ray of hope for the people who are in need of blood.

What is Double Red Cell Donation?

In double red cell donation the donor gives two units of red blood cells at one time. This blood donation is monitored by an automated blood donation machine. The blood is drawn from the donor to the automated machine which separates the various components of the blood and retains the red blood cells. The rest of the components including WBCs, platelets, plasma, etc., are returned to the body with a saline solution. Hence, in this type of blood donation the person feels hydrated as the volume of the blood remains the same and saline solution keeps the body fresh and energetic.

The procedure takes 15 to 20 minutes more than the normal blood donation process but in a single donation you donate two units of red blood cells which can fulfill the requirement of two patients. The blood is diffused in the body through the same path and hence there is no need of getting pricked the second time. You leave the blood donation center more hydrated in this donation than the normal blood donation. The procedure is completely safe as the donation is done with the help of sterile disposable kit which is used only for one donor and then it is discarded after the procedure.

Double Red Blood Cell Donation Eligibility

In double red blood cell donation, the donor needs to fulfill some basic requirements just like for whole blood donation also. These requirements are as follows.

• The donor should be at least 16 years of age and should have a signed form from a parent or guardian.
• He/she should be in good health and should not be affected by any of the transferable diseases like HIV, hepatitis B, etc.
• The donor should have red blood cells level or hematocrit levels of at least 40% which means the person should have 13.3 hemoglobin level.
• A male donor should be at least 5'1" tall and weigh 130 pounds whereas woman should be at least 5'3" tall and weigh 150 pounds.
• A donor is eligible to donate again after 112 days of his/her previous donation.

Have a good night's sleep and have plenty of fluids prior to the donation. Do not donate blood on an empty stomach. Eat a well-balanced meal two to three hours before donation. Follow these simple tips and go for the donation. As your body regenerates the lacking red blood cells, you don't need to worry about your body at all. I hope this article has helped you with your query. Help someone in need of blood, it will save his life and will bring blessings to you.