Today it is difficult to imagine medicine without blood transfusion. More recently, a transfusion was required only when a person needed to compensate for a large loss, but today, blood transfusion can cope with many serious diseases. For example, many have already come across the term “autohemotherapy”, despite the fact that it refers more to alternative medicine, it was with the help of this method that thousands of lives were saved. This is also a blood transfusion that helps the body maintain immunity and fight disease.
History of the development of blood transfusion in medicine
The history of blood transfusion and donation goes far back. Transfusion has long been known as a special technology in medicine that helps save the life of a patient by injecting the patient with all the components from the donor's body. Blood plasma, erythrocytes and other substances that are absent or in small quantities in the patient's body may be subject to transfusion. Of course, the technology of modern society is described above, the fact is that in ancient times this did not exist, because there was nospecial equipment with which it would be possible to separate plasma from red blood cells.
The first blood transfusion was performed when a person realized that blood is the main component of a living organism, and if it is not enough, then a person will simply die. After numerous experiments, doctors came to the conclusion that there was also incompatibility of blood during transfusion, so accurate calculations were made on the amount of transfused blood and its division into compatibility groups.
How the first blood transfusion was performed, and new developments of scientists in this direction
Until people found special tools for transfusion, there were different ways. For example, from the very beginning they gave a person to drink fresh blood of an animal or a person, but, of course, this method was ineffective. In search of suitable methods, attempts were made to other technologies, the first of them were successfully tested as early as 1848, but the most effective technology became relevant only in the 20th century.
It was very important to make sure that the blood was stored for a long time, so in 1926 the well-known Alexander Bogdanov Institute of Blood Transfusion made an important discovery for medicine, the scientists of this institute proved that it was not at all necessary to store whole blood, it is quite possible to save its components. Based on these findings, they began to develop new methods for the conservation of plasma, and later even werecreated blood substitutes.
Interesting facts from the history of blood transfusion
As a rule, initially, blood transfusion could only be performed from relatives who acted as donors, for example, in the 20th century it was believed that only a mother or brother could become a donor. It was believed that in this case there is a small risk that the patient will develop an allergic reaction or the blood will not suit him. But later, doctors began to develop the topic of donation and found out that not only relatives, but also other people who want to donate blood can be donors.
Thus, the history of blood transfusion began to develop even more rapidly. Every year there is a breakthrough in medicine in this direction, and now there are many medical techniques that, with the help of blood transfusion, can cure even very complex and deadly diseases. For a donor, blood transfusion is an absolutely safe event, so a lot of such procedures can be done a year.
What is the essence of blood transfusion in modern medicine?
Currently, medicine is generally hard to imagine without blood transfusions. For example, when autohemotherapy technology is used, the patient has a chance to increase his immunity without the slightest harm to his he alth, doctors have no warnings about this, but in this case, when blood is transfused, the Rh factor must be taken into account and additional tests are taken, if the donorrelatives appear. This method of transfusion can be used to renew blood, with anemia and other pathologies in the human body. It is important that the doctor was able to establish the diagnosis in time and take all measures to eliminate it in a timely manner.
Who can and cannot donate blood?
Today, being a donor is an honor, so many people strive to receive this title, so it is important to carefully study the question of who can become a donor and how much blood donors donate per year. It is not at all difficult to become a donor, absolutely all people aged 18 to 60 are suitable for this, but it is important to remember that you should not have any he alth contraindications. Almost 500 ml of blood can be taken from a donor at a time. People who weigh less than 50 kilograms must go through special doctors who can give a certificate that a person can act as a donor.
Some people may have their own contraindications, which means that they will not be able to act as donors, in which case the blood transfusion has consequences that can cost lives. For example, a person who has ever had such diseases in his life will not be able to become a donor:
- A person who was HIV positive.
- If you have syphilis, whether congenital or acquired.
- Hepatitis test positive.
- Tuberculosis.
In order to be able to collect plasma, ineach city has a blood transfusion station where a prospective donor can take all the tests and make sure that his blood is suitable.
When is the title of honorary donor given?
If we take into account the statistics, then on average up to 20,000 donors can visit one blood transfusion station per year. But the fact is that every year this number is rapidly decreasing, as young people are in no hurry to donate blood, and older people have restrictions. This problem worries any state, therefore, in order to attract as many donors as possible, the title of "honorary donor" was invented. How many times to donate blood is a question that most often occurs among young people who want to earn this title. Of course, there are restrictions in this direction, since plasma can be donated no more than twice a month. Honorary donors are the people who do it the most.
The problem of lack of blood today is being solved in another way, scientists are trying to find a blood substitute, but so far there is no means by which this could be done, so donation is the only way to save the lives of many people.
How blood transfusion is protected by law
In order to attract a large number of donors, they are trying to create all the conditions that are clearly spelled out in the laws of different states. Consider the main ones:
- On the day when the donor donates blood, he is released from work at the enterprise or in another area of his activity, while the salary is preserved.
- Forin order for the donor to be able to recover, he is given an additional day off after donating blood.
- Donating blood must be confirmed by certificates, on the basis of which wages for the missed day are calculated.
No matter how much blood donors donate, they are all protected by law.
What benefits can an honorary donor count on?
If a person donates blood in the amount of 40 maximum doses, then he automatically becomes an honorary donor. There are benefits for honorary donors:
- These people are en titled to free treatment.
- Medical drugs in pharmacies should be sold to them at a 50% discount.
- The history of blood transfusions indicates that many such donors are still given free vouchers for he alth improvement in sanatoriums.
It should be taken into account that donating blood does not take much time, it is enough to spend only 15 minutes at least once a month to save a life.
Obligations of the donor before performing the donor function
To be able to donate plasma, you must remember that each person has their own rules:
- First of all, the blood transfusion station may require from the donor a document that will confirm his identity, preferably a passport.
- The donor must know all the necessary information about himself, including about the transferred infectious diseases in childhood.
- Donor must also tell about surgicalinterventions that he had a year before donating blood, even if these surgical interventions were minor.
Where and how can I donate blood?
Even in small towns, blood can be donated at special medical facilities. The history of blood transfusion includes such cases when doctors had to work in the worst conditions, but at the same time they coped at the highest level. Of course, it will not be possible to take individual blood elements in a non-specialized institution, for the simple reason that the help of many other specialists is required. Donating blood is not difficult, just go to the nearest blood transfusion station and pass all the necessary tests, after which the plasma will be taken directly, and the person will be able to call himself a donor. Sometimes even mobile blood transfusion stations are set up, which is very convenient for busy people.
How to properly prepare for blood donation?
To donate blood, it is not at all necessary to prepare for it in some special way. But still, doctors recommend following some rules:
- It is not recommended to donate blood if you have recently had a tattoo.
- If there are problems with cardiovascular dystonia.
- If the person has had a recent dental treatment.
- You can not eat s alty, fried, spicy food two days before donating blood. It is not recommended to drink alcohol and consume dairy products.
As you can see, the history of blood transfusionvery rich, she was constantly changing, every year a huge number of new methods that help save millions of lives of adults and children, so being an honorary donor is not only responsible, but also important for every person.
