Transfusion Therapies

You receive a transfusion of red blood cells from a healthy donor, but none of your own blood is removed.

What to expect during the procedure

Before the procedure: A nurse connects a blood bag containing healthy donor red blood cells to your arm through a needle.

During the procedure: The healthy donor red blood cells flow from the bag to your body. This requires approximately 1 to 3 units of red blood cells.

During this procedure, a nurse accesses one of your veins with a needle and removes a small portion of your whole blood, which contains plasma, platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Then a small amount of healthy red blood cells is transfused. This type of exchange is considered "manual" because an automated medical device is not required.

What to expect during the procedure

Before the procedure: A nurse connects one vein, usually in the arm, to an empty blood bag using a needle. Another vein, usually in the opposite arm, is connected to a bag full of healthy donor red blood cells with another needle.

During the procedure: The nurse draws a small amount of your whole blood, which flows into the empty blood bag. Then the nurse transfuses a small portion of healthy red blood cells to you. These two steps are repeated until the desired outcomes are achieved.

Manual exchange requires approximately 1 to 3 units of red blood cells.

This type of exchange transfusion rapidly removes your red blood cells and replaces them with healthy donor red blood cells using an apheresis device. Not all hospitals have access to this device. This exchange transfusion requires a specialized team of trained clinicians and operators.

What to expect during the procedure

Before the procedure: A single-use sterile tube is connected to your veins through a needle, usually in one or both of your arms. A clinician may decide that a more permanent kind of access connection is needed.

During the procedure: A small portion of your blood is removed and mixed with a fluid that prevents the blood from clotting. The apheresis device spins the blood in a centrifuge to separate it into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. At any point during the procedure, the amount of blood in the tubing set is less than the amount of cola in a can.

Your red blood cells flow to a waste bag, and healthy donor red blood cells are returned to you along with your white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

An RBCX procedure requires approximately 3 to 9 units of red blood cells.