Blood Bank

Facility for both single-arm, and two-arm procedures is available at our Blood Centre unit. These procedures ensure that the patient gets Log 4 leukoreduced, almost red cell-free platelets.

One unit of apheresis platelets, also known as SDP or single donor platelets, is equal to approximately 6 units of random donor platelets (i.e., platelets separated from 6 units of whole blood collection from 6 different donors). The patient’s exposure to multiple donors is thus avoided, making the platelet transfusion more safe and effective.

An exclusive blood bag irradiator that uses cobalt 60 as the source is available in the blood centre and takes less than 5 minutes to irradiate the blood unit. Irradiation reduces the risk of Transfusion-Associated Graft V/S Host disease (TAGVHD) and makes transfusion of cellular blood components safer.

This is especially a boon to immunocompromised patients and patients receiving a blood transfusion from ‘close relative donors’, especially in cases of rare blood groups.

Quadruple blood bags are used to remove the bulk of leucocytes, or WBC, from whole blood at the time of separating it into various components using automated equipment.

This dramatically reduces the transfusion reactions like fever (febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions), transfusion-associated lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated hypotension, and many associated immunological reactions.

The Advanced Column Agglutination Technique is used for screening of atypical antibodies. This facility is useful for multi-transfused patients like thalassaemia, pregnant ladies, and patients having difficulty getting cross-match compatible blood units.

Thus, all the important procedures and tests performed in the blood centre use fully automated and semi-automated state-of-the-art systems. We also provide services like blood grouping, cross-matching, testing the blood unit for HIV1, HIV2, hepatitis B, and C, separating the blood into component units, quality control procedures, and storage of blood components under strict temperature monitoring using the Central Temperature Monitoring System.

A 24-hour facility of blood storage provides not only whole blood, but also packed red cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelet-rich plasma, platelet concentrate, and cryoprecipitate. The blood and blood components are procured from mother A.H. Wadia, located on Sassoon Road, Pune. Additionally, the Blood Centre provides patients with apheresis platelets, which are single donor platelets. A well-equipped blood centre with component separator laboratory and apheresis unit collects and processes blood into the above components. As part of the unit, there is also a testing lab equipped with the latest equipment for testing blood for various diseases.