Blood transfusion

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

In a blood transfusion, donated blood is added to your own blood. A blood transfusion may also be done to supplement various components of your blood with donated blood products. In rare cases, a blood transfusion is done with blood that you've donated ahead of time before you undergo surgery.

During a typical blood transfusion, certain parts of blood are delivered through an intravenous (IV) line that's placed in one of the veins in your arm. A blood transfusion usually takes one to two hours, though in an emergency it can be done much faster.

A blood transfusion boosts blood levels that are low, either because your body isn't making enough or because blood has been lost during surgery, injury or disease.

Why it's done
References
  1. What is a blood transfusion? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/bt/. Accessed Feb. 6, 2012.
  2. Blood transfusion. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. http://www.lls.org//attachments/National/br_1144786293.pdf.#/diseaseinformation/managingyourcancer/newlydiagnosed/understandingdiagnosis/bloodtransfusion. Accessed Feb. 6, 2012.
  3. Blood transfusion and donation. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002989-pdf.pdf. Accessed Feb. 6, 2012.
  4. Katz EA. Blood transfusion: Friend or foe. Advanced Critical Care. 2009;20:155.
  5. Rawn J. The silent risks of blood transfusion. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology. 2008;21:664.
  6. Sharma S, et al. Transfusion of blood and blood products: Indications and complications. American Family Physician. 201115;83:719.
  7. Jacob EK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 28, 2012.
MY01054 April 26, 2012

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