In this blog post, we will look at the history and development of blood donation, and explain why blood donation plays an important role in saving lives and how the process works.
Have you ever seen a blood donation bus while attending high school? Or have you heard about blood donation centers while walking down the street? If so, you probably know what blood donation is. But how did blood donation begin, and what is the process?
Blood donation is the act of donating blood for patients who need a transfusion. So how did blood donation begin? In 1667, Dennis of France and Lower of England each transfused sheep’s blood into humans, but both died, and blood transfusions were banned by law for 150 years. In 1818, an obstetrician in England attempted a blood transfusion again after a woman suffered severe postpartum bleeding, and it was the first successful transfusion. However, at that time, ABO blood types had not yet been discovered, and side effects from blood transfusions were common, making it difficult for blood transfusions to become commonplace. However, in 1900, Landsteniner in Germany identified the ABO blood types, and with the development of anticoagulants, blood could be stored, making blood transfusions a safe and common treatment. In the UK, the first blood donation began in 1921 when Red Cross first aid instructors sought blood donors. In Korea, from after World War II until the start of the Korean War, blood was collected directly from donors in amounts of 50 to 100 mL and immediately transfused to recipients. After that, military doctors who had experienced the effectiveness of blood transfusions during the Korean War emphasized the need for blood transfusions, and blood banks were established in 1952, leading to the start of blood donation.
Blood donation involves a total of four steps. The first step is a consultation. This is a stage where basic tests are conducted before the actual blood collection. Here, a questionnaire is administered to confirm whether the donor is taking any medication that may affect blood donation and whether there are any reasons that would make the donor unsuitable for donation. After measuring the donor’s blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature and conducting a blood type test, a nurse reviews the questionnaire and takes the donor’s fingerprints to confirm that the donor is suitable for donation. The second step is to draw blood for testing to ensure that it is safe to enter another person’s body in case of transfusion. The nurse collects blood and tests its components. The items tested include blood type, SUB (subtype: blood type is determined by the type of antigen on the red blood cell membrane, and this test checks whether the number of antigens is lower than normal), ARS (non-incompatible antibodies: a test to determine whether non-incompatible antibodies (irregular antibodies) against blood type antigens are present), hepatitis B virus antigen, hepatitis C virus antibody test, HTLV antibody (HTLV is a T-lymphotropic virus that infects T lymphocytes and causes diseases such as neurological disorders and leukemia decades later), syphilis antibody, ALT (liver function test), total protein (protein plays an important role in our body and indicates our overall health), and nucleic acid amplification test (a method of confirming infection by isolating and amplifying nucleic acid directly from viruses in the blood). The third step is the actual blood collection. Blood donors choose between whole blood donation and component donation. A nurse inserts a needle into a vein and draws blood for testing. The blood flows through the needle and into a rubber tube, which fills a blood collection bag. During this process, the donor clenches and unclenches their fist to increase blood pressure in the arm, which allows the blood to flow more quickly. Whole blood donation takes about 4 to 15 minutes, while component donation takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. The last step is the rest period. After the blood donation is complete, the donor rests comfortably for about 10 minutes at the donation site to prevent dizziness and fainting, which can occur when moving immediately after donation. When stopping the bleeding, press down on the donation site to prevent bruising. After hemostasis, the blood donation center will provide you with a drink and snacks to help you recover the blood volume, blood sugar, and various nutrients lost during the donation. The recovery period for each component varies. For example, plasma volume is restored in about a day, but red blood cells take 3-5 weeks to return to the circulatory system, depending on the bone marrow, and it takes 6-8 weeks to recover the lost iron. Finally, it takes about 8 to 12 weeks after donating blood for the iron lost during whole blood donation to be restored. Whole blood donation can be performed again after about two months, and component donation can be performed again after two weeks.
There are two types of blood donation: whole blood donation and component donation. Whole blood donation refers to the collection of all components of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets) (approximately 320 mL or 400 mL). Since blood is drawn directly from the blood vessels, this is the quickest and simplest type of blood donation. However, the recovery period is longer due to the simplicity of the procedure. Next, we will explain component blood donation. Component blood donation is a type of blood donation in which only selected components of blood are collected, such as platelets, plasma, or platelet-plasma. In all cases, only specific components are collected using a component collection device, and the remaining components are returned to the donor. Approximately 250 mL of blood is collected for platelet component donation, and approximately 500 mL is collected for plasma component donation. For platelet-plasma component donation, about 250 mL of platelets and 300 mL of plasma are collected. The procedure takes about 30 to 40 minutes for plasma and about 1 to 1.5 hours for platelets and platelet-plasma.
Let’s look at some interesting statistics to emphasize the importance of blood donation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 118.4 million units of blood are needed every day, which means that approximately 40,000 blood donors are needed. Blood donation is more than just saving a person’s life; it is essential in various situations such as emergencies, childbirth, and surgery. In particular, blood donation plays a crucial role in saving the lives of patients in emergency situations caused by accidents. It is also a great help to cancer patients and patients with blood diseases who need blood transfusions. Because of its importance, awareness and participation in blood donation are very important.
Now you know about the history of blood donation, the process of blood donation, and the types of blood donation. And when you successfully complete a blood donation, you will receive a blood donation certificate. The blood donation certificate helps you receive benefits for the cost of blood transfusions at medical institutions. Nowadays, when surgery is performed at hospitals, there are frequent cases of emergencies due to blood shortages. Depending on the type of blood donation, it may take a little time, but I believe that blood donation is a meaningful activity with the intention of saving people’s lives, and I will conclude my article with that thought.
