It is not uncommon for a patient to undergo a transfusion of liquid connective tissue from a donor in case of large blood loss. In practice, it is customary to use biological material that matches the group and Rh factor. However, the blood of some people is considered universal, and in a critical situation, its transfusion can save the patient's life. There are also individuals who can be transfused with liquid connective tissue of any group. They are considered universal recipients.
Why is blood type compatibility important?
Transfusion of fluid connective tissue is a serious medical procedure. It must be carried out under certain conditions. As a rule, blood transfusion is indicated for seriously ill patients, people with complications after surgery, etc.
Before transfusion, it is important to select a donor whose blood is compatible with the recipient's biomaterial by group. There are four of them: I (O), II (A), III (B) and IV (AB). Each ofthey also have a negative or positive Rh factor. If the compatibility condition is not observed in the process of blood transfusion, an agglutination reaction occurs. It involves the gluing of red blood cells with their subsequent destruction.
The consequences of such a transfusion are extremely dangerous:
- hematopoietic function is disturbed;
- failures occur in most organs and systems;
- metabolic processes slow down.
The natural result is post-transfusion shock (manifested by fever, vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid pulse), which can be fatal.
Rh factor compatibility. Its meaning in transfusion
When transfusion should take into account not only the blood type, but also the Rh factor. It is a protein present on the membranes of red blood cells. The vast majority of the inhabitants of the Earth (85%) have it, the remaining 15% do not have it. Accordingly, the former have a positive Rh factor, the latter are negative. When transfusing blood, they must not be mixed.
Thus, a patient with a negative Rh factor should not receive liquid connective tissue, in the erythrocytes of which this protein is present. If this rule is not observed, the recipient's immune system will begin a powerful fight against foreign substances. As a result, the Rh factor will be destroyed. If the situation repeats, the red blood cells will begin to stick together, thereby provoking the appearance of serious complications.
The Rh factor remains unchanged throughout life. Concerningpeople who do not have it, you need to pay special attention to blood transfusion. Women who have a negative Rh factor should notify their doctor and obstetrician-gynecologist about this when pregnancy occurs. A mark containing this information is entered in the outpatient card.
Universal Recipient
Giving your blood, i.e. Anyone can be a donor for people who need it. But when transfusing, it is important to consider the compatibility of the biomaterial.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a scientist from Austria suggested, and soon proved, that the process of agglutination of red blood cells (agglutination) is a sign of the activity of the immune system, due to the presence in the blood of 2 reacting substances (agglutinogens) and 2 that can with them interact (agglutinins). The first were given the designations A and B, the second - a and b. Blood is incompatible if substances of the same name come into contact: A and a, B and b. Thus, the fluid connective tissue of each person must contain agglutinogens that do not stick together with agglutinins.
Each blood type has its own characteristics. IV (AB) deserves special attention. In the erythrocytes contained in it, there are both A and B agglutinogens, but at the same time, there are no agglutinins in the plasma, which contribute to the gluing of red blood cells during donor blood transfusion. Group IV people are considered universal recipients. The process of transfusion rarely causes complications for them.
Universal recipient - a person who can receive blood fromany donor. This will not cause an agglutination reaction. But meanwhile, blood of the IV group is allowed to be transfused only to people with it.
Universal Donor
In practice, doctors select a donor that is most suitable for the recipient. The blood is transfused of the same group. But this is not always possible. In a critical situation, the patient can be transfused with group I blood. Its feature is the absence of agglutinogens, but at the same time there are a and b agglutinins in the plasma. This makes its owner a universal donor. When transfused, erythrocytes will also not stick together.
This feature is taken into account when transfusion of a small amount of connective tissue. If you need to transfuse a large volume, only the same group is taken, just as a universal recipient cannot accept a lot of donated blood from a different group.
In closing
Hemotransfusion is a medical procedure that can save the lives of seriously ill patients. Some people are universal blood recipients or donors. In the first case, they can take liquid connective tissue of any group. In the second, their blood is transfused to all people. Thus, universal donors and recipients have special groups of connective tissue.
