Friday, February 20, 2009

Blood Bank Guide

By Anne Ahira

In times of a medical emergency, it is completely common that a patient will need a blood transfusion. In fact , it might be a issue where the blood is truly a lifesaving source.

Have you ever known where that blood comes from? Well, in most cases that blood truly comes from a blood bank.

A blood bank is where the blood that has been collected is stored. In many cases, there are outside agencies that actually do the collection of the blood. This is then transferred to the blood bank where it is held and stored until it is needed for a transfusion.

The blood that is typically held in a blood bank is technically called "whole blood." This is basically blood that is not separated and actually treated with an FDA approved preservative. Once the blood is collected, the blood bank actually spins the blood so that it will separate.

Then it is chemically treated so that it has a shelf life of 42 days. Additionally, the blood bank will also put the collected blood through a screening process to ensure that it is free of any infections or diseases. This can give the patient and their family great peace of mind during a time that could be quite trying. - 15437

About the Author: