Specialty

Department of Transfusion Medicine (Blood Centre)

Blood Transfusion Services (BTS) are a vital part of any modern healthcare organization without which provision of efficient medical care is impossible. The Department of Transfusion Medicine (Blood Centre) at DMHRC, functions 24 hours a day for 365 days and is involved in blood collection, testing, processing, storage and issue of blood/blood components. The department is utilizing state of the art technology and follows stringent quality control protocols to ensure blood and patient safety.

In 2023, department conducted 154 blood donation camps, 13899 whole blood donations, 554 plateletpheresis and 293 therapeutic apheresis procedures. We are also running a Thalassemia Day Care Ward in collaboration with Rotary Club of Pune Sarasbaug and looking after 40 thalassemic patients enrolled with our hospital.

The Blood Centre is licensed to manufacture the following components:

Whole Human Blood I.P.

Concentrated Human Red Blood Corpuscles I.P.

Fresh Frozen Plasma B.P.

Platelet Concentrate I.P. ( Random Donor Platelet)

Cryoprecipitated Antihaemophilic Factor I.P.

Leucopheresis U.S.P.

Granulocyte Apheresis U.S.P.

Plateletpheresis U.S.P.

Plasmapheresis U.S.P.

The several initiates taken by the department to ensure blood and patient safety are as follows:

Blood collection:

The blood bags used contain a diversion pouch which helps in diverting initial 15-20 ml blood which is later used for testing and avoids extra prick to donor for sample collection for testing. Apart from this, it has also helped us reduce the risk of bacterial contamination of our blood components.
Use of automated blood collection monitors (T-RAC) in outdoor blood donation camps to ensure accurate and adequate blood collection.

Blood component preparation laboratory:

Fully automated component preparation laboratory with availability of Terumo T-ACE II and ARCHIMEDE equipments to prepare components.
Blood bags with inline leukocyte reduction filters are being used universally to provide 3-4 log leukoreduced PRBC. Even labside leukofiltration is also been offered. The advantages of leukoreduction are:
- Prevention of febrile non hemolytic transfusion reaction (FNHTR)
- Prevention of HLA alloimmunization
- Reduction in transmission of lymphotropic viruses such as CMV, EBV and HTLV- I & II
- Prevention of immunomodulation
Availability of sterile connecting device has helped us prepare blood components for pediatric/neonatal patients without compromising the sterility.
Only Male plasma is being utilized for plasma transfusions to prevent TRALI (transfusion associated acute lung injury).

Infectious marker laboratory:

Collected blood is tested for HIV, HBV, HCV, Malaria and Syphilis using Chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA).
To further reduce down the window period, Individual Donor Nucleic Acid Testing (ID-NAT) is also being performed on all donated units.

Irradiation section:

Universal irradiation of RDP and SDP is being performed to prevent transfusion associated graft versus host disease (TA-GVHD).
Irradiated PRBC and granulocytes are also offered to patients in need as per clinician’s request.

Apheresis section:

Universal PAS (platelet additive solution) added SDP are being offered to patients. The advantages of using PAS added SDP are: can be issued group across, reduced risk of plasma associated transfusion reactions and reduced ABO antibody titres, thus, reducing the risk of hemolysis due to passive transfer of naturally occurring antibodies.

The department is making efforts to develop the Immunohematology laboratory into a referral centre by providing advanced immunohematology work-ups for not only in-house patients but also patients from the other hospitals. The tests being performed at our laboratory are: ABO & Rh typing, newborn ABO & Rh typing, indirect antiglobulin test (IAT), direct antiglobulin test (DAT), antibody screening by 3 cell panel, antibody identification, Rh Kell phenotyping, extended phenotyping if needed, cross matching, antibody titre.

The Apheresis laboratory is equipped with fully automated cell separators which are catering to both donor and patient procedures. The various procedures being performed are:

Plateletpheresis

Plasmapheresis

Granulocytapheresis

Leucapheresis: Allogenic & Autologous (cryopreservation, if needed)

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange

Therapeutic Red Cell Exchange

Extracorporeal Photopheresis

Training program in Transfusion Medicine: The department has recently been accredited by National Board of Examinations, Delhi for Broad Specialty program DNB Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion a 3 year comprehensive course in Transfusion Medicine.

Transfusion Medicine Team: