In modern medicine, there are many sections specializing in the study of different areas of the functioning of the human body. Transfusiology studies a special aspect - the issues of mixing biological fluids, blood substitutes, and blood transfusion.

What is transfusiology

The history of this branch of medicine began in the distant 20s of the 17th century, when the first attempt was made to transfuse blood to a living creature. But more than a decade passed before the successful attempt at transfusion of blood from person to person was officially documented. Only in the twentieth century did this science begin to develop rapidly: scientists discovered blood groups, learned how to combine and preserve them.

This field of medicine has two components - the clinical part (treatment of patients) and the production (providing hospitals and clinics with the necessary materials).

In everyday life, a person can meet with a transfusiologist in two cases: as a recipient for treatment or as a donor to help others.

Basic concepts of science

The basics of transfusiology are based on concepts familiar even to a person who has nothing to do with medicine:

  • blood types;
  • Rhesus factor
  • antibodies;
  • antigens;
  • plasma;
  • red blood cells;
  • platelets:
  • transfusion - blood transfusion;
  • infusion - the introduction of various fluids into the body.

It seems to a simple person that transfusiology and hematology are one and the same.These sciences have much in common, but nevertheless, the areas of their interests differ: if the former studies blood problems in the framework of diseases of other organs, the latter deals exclusively with diseases of the blood itself.

One of the main concepts of science is transfusion.

Types of transfusion:

  • intravenous - into one of the large veins;
  • intra-arterial - into the large artery;
  • intraosseous - into the cancellous bone;
  • intracardiac - is used exclusively in case of unsuccessful blood transfusion in other ways;
  • intrauterine - in cases of hemolytic diseases of the fetus.

The speed of the transfusion is divided into inkjet and drip.

Functions of Transfusion Medicine

This science has the following tasks:

  • acquisition and accounting of donor staff;
  • a thorough examination of people who want to donate blood;
  • organization and proper preparation of blood preparations and conservation;
  • development of new transfusion agents, their production;
  • substantiation of methods and methods of using transfusion agents for various diseases;
  • control over the rational use of provided physiological fluids;
  • organization of advisory assistance;
  • full satisfaction of the needs of other areas of medicine in providing donated blood or blood substitutes.

There is also such a thing as infusion-transfusion therapy (ITT). This method of treatment consists in administering various drugs, plasma solutions, blood substitutes, and blood to the patient's body. The main function of ITT is the correction of all kinds of violations of homeostasis, the elimination of circulatory disorders, volume replenishment, detoxification.

Nowadays, large blood transfusion centers have been established in some places, in which banks of long-term storage of erythrocytic media are located, and departments of clinical transfusiology, where patients are directly assisted.

In what cases can not do without blood transfusion

There are diseases and conditions of the body in which you can not do without this procedure:

  • emergency large blood loss;
  • severe kidney and liver diseases;
  • severe anemia;
  • complex surgical operations;
  • hemolytic diseases.

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In some cases, autotransfusion is possible. A few days before surgery, blood is taken from the patient and stored under certain conditions. This eliminates the danger of infection, the occurrence of complications and a negative reaction of the body. The collection of a small amount of blood also favorably affects the general well-being and condition of the body. This procedure is most often performed for people with impaired liver function, for patients with a rare blood group, as well as for people who are very poorly tolerated by transfusion.

Conventional transfusions can be direct or indirect. Now they mainly use the second method - the infusion of pre-harvested and canned blood.

Certain requirements are imposed on the donor - the person who donates his blood. He needs to undergo the necessary examinations and truthfully answer all the doctor’s questions. This is done in order to make the procedure as safe as possible. People with infectious diseases, syphilis, AIDS, tuberculosis, mental disorders can not be donors. The list of absolute and relative contraindications is very long. By strict selection, specialists reduce the possibility of infection of the recipient with various diseases through the blood.

Now whole blood is almost never used. In special laboratories, it is divided into components that are processed, tested, frozen or used as intended to help patients.

Advantages and disadvantages

Blood transfusion is an effective treatment for many serious and life-threatening diseases, and this is its undeniable advantage.

However, there are a number of big problems that scientists from different countries have worked on and are working on:

  • transmission of infections during blood transfusion;
  • negative interaction of antibodies;
  • rejection reaction;
  • complex reactions to the entry of foreign proteins into the body.

“Alien” blood, even if it has the same group and Rh factor, strains the immune system. In severity, this can be compared with transplantation of any organ.

Transfusiological technologies and tools are constantly being improved, so the risk of complications, fortunately, is low.

Now, without transfusiology, modern surgery and hematology are unthinkable. The number of people who managed to save lives thanks to scientists and doctors in this industry is estimated at very impressive numbers.

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