Types of Blood Components:

Whole Blood

• Provides all blood components, although clotting factors deteriorate if product is older than 24 hours
• Must be ABO compatible
• Comes in 500 mL volumes
• Give 20 mL/kg in children

Packed Red Blood Cells

• Elevates HGB levels by 1 g/dl and HCT by 3% per unit
• Best blood product to rapidly elevate oxygen carrying capacity
• Must be ABO compatible
• Comes in 250 mL volumes
• Give 10 mL/kg in children

Fresh Frozen Plasma

• The fluid of one unit of human blood that has been frozen solid within six hours of collection to preserve clotting factors
• Useful for hypovolemia combined with hemorrhage caused by clotting deficiencies
• Must be ABO compatible
• Takes 20 minutes to thaw and must be used within 6 hours of thawing

Platelets

• Does not need to b ABO compatible
• Used for conditions such as hemophilia , von Willebrand disease , hypofibrinogenemia and factor VIII deficiency
• Multiple units may be ordered (one unit for every 7-10kg in children)

Cryoprecipitate

• Prepared from plasma and rich in factor VIII, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and factor XIII.
• Is frequently given for bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and DIC
• Must be ABO compatible