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What is a Blood Bank?

A blood bank is a specialized laboratory that:

  • Collects blood from healthy donors

  • Separates it into components (red cells, plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate)

  • Tests it for safety

  • Stores and supplies blood components for patients in hospitals

Blood Bank & Plasma Bank Setup
what is plasma fractionation

What is a Plasma Bank?

A plasma bank is a type of blood bank (or separate facility) that focuses on:

  • Collecting plasma (from whole blood or by apheresis)

  • Freezing and storing plasma safely for transfusion (FFP – Fresh Frozen Plasma) 

  • Supplying plasma for making plasma-derived medicines like albumin, IVIG, and clotting factors

How Blood Comes to the Blood Bank (Donor Journey)

Donor Registration & Consent

  1. Donor fills a registration form (name, age, contact).

  2. Reads and signs consent for blood donation and testing.

Donor Screening
Medical staff checks:

  • Age (usually 18–65 years)

  • Minimum weight (commonly ≥ 50 kg)

  • Hemoglobin level (to avoid anemia in donor)

  • Vital signs (BP, pulse, temperature)

  • Medical history (infections, recent surgery, medications, high-risk behavior)

Only fit and low-risk donors are accepted.
 Blood Collection

  • Skin is cleaned with antiseptic.

  • Blood is collected into a sterile blood bag with anticoagulant (usually 350–450 mL).

  • The bag is gently mixed during collection using a blood collection monitor to prevent clotting.

  • ​Donor rests for a short time and gets refreshments.


Rules & Requirements for Safe Blood/Plasma Banking

  • Exact rules depend on country laws and national blood policies, but in general:

  • Licensing & accreditation of blood/plasma bank

  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every step (collection, testing, storage, issue)

  • Mandatory testing of every unit for:

  • Blood group (ABO, Rh)

  • Transfusion-transmitted infections (HIV, hepatitis B & C, syphilis, etc.)

  • Proper storage temperatures, with 24/7 temperature monitoring and alarms NWR, Inc+2Transfusion Guidelines+2

  • Traceability: every blood bag and component must be traceable from donor to patient

  • Quality control: regular checks of equipment, reagents, and blood components


What Happens After Blood is Collected? (Blood Bank Process)
Step 1: Labeling & Transport

  • Each blood bag gets a unique identification number (barcode).

  • Samples for testing are taken.

  • Blood is moved to processing area, usually kept cool (around 20–24 °C initially).

Step 2: Testing
Lab tests include:

  • ABO and Rh(D) blood grouping

  • Screening for unexpected antibodies

  • Infection screening (HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, etc.)

Units that fail any test are discarded safely.
Step 3: Separation into Blood Components
Using refrigerated centrifuges and expressors, whole blood is separated into: 

  1. Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBC)

    • Used for anemia, surgery, trauma

  2. Plasma

    • Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) or Plasma frozen within 24 hours (PF24)

  3. Platelet Concentrates

    • Used for low platelet counts (e.g., dengue, chemotherapy)

  4. Cryoprecipitate

    • Rich in fibrinogen and clotting factors (especially factor VIII)

Step 4: Storage
Typical storage conditions (may vary slightly by guideline): 

  • Red cells:

    • Temperature: +2 °C to +6 °C

    • Shelf life: up to 35–42 days ( depending on anticoagulant used)

  • Platelets:

    • Temperature: 20–24 °C with continuous gentle agitation

    • Shelf life: about 5–7 days

  • Plasma (FFP):

    • Frozen at ≤ −18 °C (often −30 °C or colder; some ultra-low freezers go to −65 °C or −80 °C)

    • Shelf life: about 1 year (longer for ultra-low storage)

  • Cryoprecipitate:

    • Also stored frozen at ≤ −18 °C

Step 5: Crossmatching & Issue to Patient
Before transfusion:

  1. Patient’s blood sample is taken.

  2. Crossmatch test is done (donor red cells + patient serum) to check compatibility.

  3. If compatible, the correct component is issued with proper documentation.


6. What Are the Components of Blood?
Whole blood contains: 

  1. Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

    • Carry oxygen using hemoglobin

  2. Platelets (Thrombocytes)

    • Help blood clot and stop bleeding

  3. Plasma

    • Straw-colored fluid (about 90% water)

    • Contains:

      • Albumin (maintains oncotic pressure, transports substances)

      • Immunoglobulins (antibodies)

      • Clotting factors (fibrinogen, factor VIII, etc.)

      • Many other proteins, salts, hormones, nutrients

plasma fractionation and purification plant

Plasma Bank Process – Step by Step

Plasma Collection
Plasma can come to the plasma bank in two main ways:​
From whole blood donations 

  •  Blood bank separates plasma from whole blood and freezes it as FFP.​​


By Plasmapheresis (Apheresis Donation)

  • Donor is connected to an apheresis machine.

  • Machine removes blood, separates plasma, and returns red cells and other components to donor.

  • Allows more frequent donations of plasma than whole blood. 
     

Plasma Processing & Storage

  1. Freezing

    • Plasma is frozen quickly (usually within defined time after collection) to preserve clotting factors.

  2. Labeling

    • Each unit is labeled with donor ID, blood group, volume, collection date, expiry date.

  3. Storage in Plasma Freezers

    • Special plasma freezers or ultra-low freezers keep plasma at −18 °C or below;
      some systems at −30 °C, −45 °C or −65 °C or colder. 

    • Continuous temperature monitoring with alarms and backup power.
       

 Issue of Plasma

  • Plasma is thawed before use (usually in a plasma thawing water bath or dry thawer at controlled temperature).

  • Used for:

    • Bleeding due to clotting factor deficiency

    • Liver disease with coagulopathy

    • Massive transfusion, plasma exchange, etc.

Some plasma is sent to industrial fractionation plants to manufacture plasma-derived medicines.

Plasma-Derived Medicines Prepared from Plasma
Large pools of plasma (from thousands of donors) are processed using industrial plasma fractionation to make: 

  1. Albumin

    • Used in shock, burns, low protein states

  2. Immunoglobulins (IVIG / SCIG)

    • Treat immune deficiencies

    • Used in some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

  3. Coagulation Factor Concentrates

    • Factor VIII, IX, etc. for hemophilia

    • Other factors for rare bleeding disorders

  4. Other Products

    • Fibrin glue

    • Alpha-1 antitrypsin

    • C1 esterase inhibitor, etc.

 
Note: These are usually made by pharmaceutical/plasma fractionation companies, not typical hospital blood banks.

Key Equipment Used in Blood & Plasma Banks
Common equipment includes: 

  • Donor couches / chairs

  • Blood collection monitors (mixing & weighing during donation)

  • Refrigerated centrifuges / cryocentrifuges (for component separation)

  • Plasma expressors (to separate layers after centrifugation)

  • Platelet agitators with incubators

  • Blood bank refrigerators (+2 to +6 °C)

  • Plasma freezers / ultra-low freezers (−18 °C to −80 °C)

  • Plasma thawers

  • Serology analyzers & gel card systems for grouping & crossmatching

  • Temperature monitoring & alarm systems

  • Barcode readers & blood bank software for tracking and inventory

blood plasma fractionation
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