What are platelets?

Boold Butter!

One donation of platelets provides the same amount of platelets as 8 to 12 whole blood donations combined.

Blood is made up of several components, where each

component plays a special role: red blood cells, white

blood cells, platelets and plasma. Platelets are tiny cell

fragments that help form blood clots and reduce blood

loss when you are injured. If a blood vessel is damaged,

the role of the platelets is to clump together to block the

leak in the blood vessel and stop you bleeding.

Why are platelets needed?

A platelet transfusion can be the difference between

life and death for leukaemia patients and people

undergoing chemotherapy. These patients often have

low levels of platelets which can lead to spontaneous

bleeding. Even a small amount of bleeding can be

dangerous, particularly if it occurs in the brain.

As new treatments develop, more patients are being

successfully treated with platelets. This means there

is a growing demand for platelet transfusions.

The difference between giving blood and

giving platelets

One donation of platelets provides the same amount of

platelets as 8 to 12 whole blood donations combined.

Giving a whole blood donation is a simple process that

involves the removal of 470mL of blood. Most people

can safely give whole blood 4 times a year because

your body only takes up to 12 weeks to replace the

red cells that have been removed.

Platelet donations involve apheresis machines that

separate your blood into its different components and

then returns those that are not being collected back

into your body. Your body replaces platelets much

more quickly than red cells, so platelet donors can

normally donate more often than whole blood donors.

How are platelets collected?

Platelets are collected by a process known as

apheresis (pronounced ay-fur-ee-sis). It comes

from the Greek word meaning “to take away” or

“to separate”. Instead of donating whole blood,

you only give platelets and some plasma

(the fluid in your blood).

Plateletpheresis is the process of collecting platelets

with an apheresis machine. As blood is taken from

the donor, the machine spins the blood in a small

centrifuge bowl to separate the platelets from the other

blood components. These are collected into a special

collection bag and the remaining red cells, white cells

and most of the plasma are then returned to the donor.

This process is repeated several times until enough

platelets are collected and usually takes 90 minutes in

total. You can sit back throughout this time and relax.

Is plateletpheresis safe?

Yes. Healthy people can donate platelets regularly,

as their bodies can replace their platelets and plasma

within a few days of each donation. There is very

low risk of iron depletion because the red cells are

returned to you. You will be supervised by a trained

nurse throughout the whole process and regular blood

tests are taken to monitor your health.

How often can you give platelets?

You can donate every two to six weeks because your

body can replenish its supply of platelets quickly after