Blood products

Modern transfusion therapy offers the seriously ill patient an array of blood products, designed to improve oxygen delivery, maintain intravascular volume, suppress infection, and induce hemostasis. Depending on the patient's clinical circumstance, the choice of product may need to incorporate consideration of the state of intravascular volume, history of prior transfusion reactions, the possible existence of serum antibodies directed against the relevant blood component, and the risk of transmission of infectious disease, as well as the relative cost of the blood product chosen. Fortunately, the contemporary blood bank has acquired considerable expertise in preparing safe products and in providing sound guidance for the clinician in their proper use.