Donating Platelets vs. Plasma
Your blood is mostly made up of plasma, a liquid containing water, proteins, electrolytes, and critical clotting factors. Plasma also serves as a medium in which specialized cells are suspended, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet cells. Platelet cells clump together at the site of a cut or injury and help form a clot to stop bleeding.
Both plasma and platelets are vital for those with serious diseases and injuries, and both are in high demand.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities need approximately 5,000 units of platelets every day across the U.S., and nearly 10,000 units of plasma are needed for transfusions or to create life-changing therapies.
How Is Plasma Used?
Plasma is used to treat a spectrum of conditions and to develop specialized therapies:
- Burns and Trauma
Victims of severe burns or traumatic injuries may need plasma transfusions to assist with blood clotting and prevent shock (by boosting their blood volume).
- Hemophilia
Characterized by an inability to create important clotting factors, hemophilia increases a person’s risk of dangerous bleeding. Those suffering from this disorder require plasma transfusions to supply these clotting factors.
- Liver Failure
A healthy liver produces a variety of essential substances, including proteins that are carried in plasma. Those with liver failure may need infusions of donated plasma products.
- Other Rare Diseases
Plasma and platelet products are important treatment and management therapies for a variety of rare diseases. For example, people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency may develop emphysema or liver damage. Hereditary angioedema can cause dangerous swelling of tissues, including the upper airways.
How are Platelets Used?
Platelets serve crucial roles in various health conditions and diseases:
- Cancer
About half of all platelet donations are used to help cancer patients. Chemotherapy treatments can weaken the bone marrow’s ability to produce platelets, putting these patients at risk of severe bleeding. Platelet transfusions from donors help prevent this.
- Transplants
Individuals undergoing organ transplants may require platelet transfusions to support their recovery process.
- Surgery
Certain surgeries, especially those involving the heart or specific, may need platelet transfusions to manage bleeding and support healing.
- Trauma
Victims of traumatic injuries who have lost significant blood may require platelet transfusions to prevent further bleeding and support clotting.
- Blood Disorders
Individuals with blood disorders like leukemia or immune thrombocytopenia often require platelet transfusions to manage low platelet counts and prevent bleeding complications.
How Is The Donation Process Different?
When you donate plasma, a plasmapheresis machine collects blood from an arm vein. Plasma is then separated from your blood, while red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets return to you, along with sterile saline to aid in rehydration.
The donation process lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
In platelet donation, a similar machine extracts platelet cells from your blood. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma are returned to you, along with saline.
This process is called apheresis and lasts approximately 2 hours.
During either donation process, our highly trained experts carefully monitor you and work to ensure your comfort and safety. After donating, you will be given post-donation instructions and encouraged to rest and rehydrate.
How Long Does Each Product Last?
Plasma is frozen and can last up to 1 year. Platelets are kept at room temperature and last for five days.
How Often Can You Donate Platelets vs. Plasma?
- You can donate plasma twice every seven days. Each donation must be at least 48 hours apart.
- You can donate platelets once every seven days and up to 24 times yearly.
Considering Platelet Donation? Choose PlasmaSource
One of the benefits of donating plasma or platelets is the satisfaction of knowing you are helping change lives.
At PlasmaSource, we respect you, value your time commitment, and pay you for it. We work to ensure a safe, seamless, and comfortable donation experience. If you are looking for a platelet donation center in Illinois, consider PlasmaSource.
We encourage you to read more about the platelet donation and reimbursement process and schedule an appointment.
