What is an autologous blood program?

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has an autologous blood donation program. This program offers all patients the option of donating their own blood to be used during their booked surgery, either at TBRHSC or in some cases, at out-of-town hospitals.

For patients having surgery out of town, the laboratory will consult with the hospital where surgery will occur to determine if they will accept an autologous donation collected at TBRHSC. The patient is responsible for transporting their autologous donation to the hospital where surgery will occur. The units must arrive at the receiving hospital within 24 hours of being packed by TBRHSC Transfusion Services.

Steps in the Donation Process

1. The request for autologous blood donation is initiated by the family physician or surgeon who must complete a request form and submit it to the laboratory for approval.
    
2. Once approval has been granted, the Laboratory Program Coordinator will contact the donor with appointment date(s) and time(s).
    
3. Patients will come to the Laboratory Out-Patient Bloodwork Area to be registered. Please bring your Health Card. Once the laboratory has collected the blood sample, the patient will report to the Ambulatory Care Unit for their autologous donation.
    
4. Prior to the donation, the patient is assessed by the nurse in Ambulatory Care to ensure blood pressure, hematocrit results and general clinical conditions fulfil the criteria for autologous donation to proceed. If the conditions are not met, the autologous donation cannot proceed.
    
5. A unit of blood is less than 500mL (2 cups). The nurse is present throughout the entire procedure.
    
6. Once the donation is complete, the needle is removed from your arm, the unit of blood is labelled with your name and sent to the laboratory where it is stored.
    
7. You will remain resting for 30 minutes and will receive juice and cookies.

Time Involved In Making Each Donation

The entire process takes about 1 1/2 hours, including rest and recovery periods. The actual donation takes 10-15 minutes depending upon how fast your blood flows.

How can you help yourself following the Donation

• If you feel faint or dizzy, sit or lie down until it passes.
• Continue your iron pills - try prunes, prune juice or dried fruit to prevent constipation.
• Eat foods rich in iron such as green leafy vegetables and cooked red meat.
• Rest and conserve energy.
• Increase your fluids unless you have heart or kidney problems.

Contact your Physician if you Notice:

• excessive bruising at the donation site
• bleeding from donation site
• increase in chest pain or shortness of breath
• palpitations or fast heart beat
• any signs of infection such as swelling, redness, heat, pain, or drainage

It is normal to feel tired during this program, but if you have fatigue that you cannot manage contact you doctor. If any of the above symptoms become excessive and you cannot contact your physician, GO TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

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