Take you to understand the blood transfusion set

In 1818, British obstetrician and gynecologist Brandley pioneered the gravity blood transfusion device, which used gravity as the driving force for blood transfusion. To this day, blood transfusion sets are still indispensable tools in the blood transfusion process. If you want to know about blood transfusion sets, this article should help you. Let's take a look together!

Table of contents:

1. What is a blood transfusion set?

2. Composition of blood transfusion set

3. What types of blood transfusion sets are there?

4. What is the process of using the blood transfusion set?

1. What is a blood transfusion set?

The blood transfusion set is a sterile device used for rescuing patients with massive bleeding or for blood transfusion during surgery and discarded after use to avoid cross-infection and ensure safe use.

2. Composition of blood transfusion set

1) Plastic spike protector

The protector is used to protect the trocar from contamination and protect the outer package from puncture and is generally made of PP.

2) Plastic Spike 

The piercer is used to puncture blood containers or blood bags, and the material is ABS.

3) Air Vent

There needs to be an air intake device at the tail end of the puncture device and the upper cover of the dropping funnel. During a blood transfusion, the air intake can exert a certain degree of pressure on the blood, thereby enhancing the blood transfusion.

4) Drip Chamber

The material of the drip chamber is PVC or DEHP-free PVC. It is used to calculate the flow rate and observe whether the infused blood is flowing. The flow rate of the dropping funnel is 20 drops = 1ml (the error is not more than 0.1ml)

5) Filter

A filter made of PP is located in the drip chamber. Filters are used to remove clots, small clumps of platelets, and white blood cells that form during collection and storage. Standard transfusion sets use filters with a pore size of 170-260 microns.

6) PVC Tubing

The soft, transparent tube is the main structure of the blood transfusion set. This tube is the central channel for blood transfusions, and all the components are attached to it.

7) Flow Regulator

The flow regulator is made of PE or ABS and is connected along the tubing between the drip chamber and the injection site to control and regulate the flow rate of blood transfusion.

8) Injection Site

The injection site is just before the needle. During a blood transfusion, the rubber tube can be punctured for dosing. The injection site material can be latex or latex-free.

9) Luer Lock Connector

Made of ABS, the Luer Lock Connector is the most proximal part of the transfusion set just behind the needle and is used to connect the needle to the injection site.

10) Hypodermic Needles

A hypodermic needle is used to pierce a patient's vein to connect a blood transfusion set to the patient. If the diameter of the needle tube is large, the flow rate is fast. If the needle diameter is small, the flow rate is slow. Therefore, it is essential to use the correct gauge needle for the volume of blood required for a given period.16G-18G is used for rapid blood transfusion in adults; 20G-22 G is used for routine blood transfusion in adults; 23G-26G is used in pediatrics.

3. What are the classifications of blood transfusion sets?

Blood transfusion sets have two types: single-use blood transfusion sets and single-use leukocyte-reducing blood transfusion sets.

1) Disposable blood transfusion set

The disposable blood transfusion set is the blood transfusion set mentioned above. So I won’t describe it too much here.

2) Disposable leukocyte-free blood transfusion set

l Why do blood transfusions need to remove white blood cells?

In clinical blood transfusion therapy, it is often found that some patients have elevated body temperature during or after blood transfusion, virus infection after blood transfusion, or ineffective platelet transfusion. These are all because of the donor's white blood cells.

The purpose of removing white blood cells from the donor is to prevent adverse transfusion reactions and transfusion-transmitted diseases caused by it.

l What are the advantages of the leukocyte-free blood transfusion set?

Prevention of febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions caused by transfusion of donor white blood cells;

Prevention of alloimmunization caused by donor leukocyte antigens;

Prevention of transfusion-transmitted diseases caused by neurotropic viruses;

It is beneficial to reduce the risk of other blood transfusion adverse reactions caused by donor white blood cells;

4. What is the process of using the blood transfusion set?

1) Check whether the packaging of the blood transfusion set is intact, whether the blood transfusion set is within the validity period, whether the needle type is suitable, etc.;

2) After the inspection, open the package, insert the needle into the saline bottle, and exhaust the air;

3) Perform venipuncture according to the method of intravenous infusion, and infuse a small amount of normal saline;

4) Check the information on the blood bag and whether the blood has deteriorated, open the cap of the blood transfusion bag and disinfect it, hang the infusion stand, and insert the blood transfusion set into the blood bag for blood transfusion;

5) Adjust the blood transfusion speed. After the blood transfusion, connect the normal saline again. After the infusion is smooth, pull out the needle or transfuse a bag of blood products as above.