Many people do not know that when they donate blood, that blood can be divided into several components that may benefit up to three people.
One of those components is platelets. Platelets are small components that help the clotting process by sticking to the lining of blood vessels. They are made in the bone marrow and survive in the circulatory system.
Platelets are used to treat a condition called thrombocytopenia, in which there is a shortage of platelets, and they are also used to treat platelet function abnormalities. They are commonly used to help cancer patients, organ recipients and surgery patients.
Platelets are prepared by using a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the donated unit of whole blood.
Platelets may also be obtained from a donor by a process known as apheresis, or plateletpheresis. In this process, blood is drawn from the donor into an apheresis instrument which separates the blood into its components, retains some of the platelets, and returns the remainder of the blood to the donor. This single donor platelet product contains about six times as many platelets as a unit of platelets obtained from whole blood.
Platelets are stored at room temperature with constant agitation for 5 days.
There is always a need for platelets, but here in St. Louis and across the nation platelets are especially needed at this time. Please visit
redcrossblood.org to find a donor center near you. Maybe you can donate this precious substance known as platelets.
Matt Gerke is the communication manager for the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services unit of the American Red Cross.