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Blood Center
The UCSF Medical Center Blood Center was established in 1988 to provide UCSF's patients with safe and screened blood products through a variety of blood donor programs. UCSF uses more than 50,000 blood components annually, which translates to 100 each day. The need for blood is very great and volunteers are always encouraged to visit the Blood Center to donate blood.
Blood Transfusions
Healthy blood is essential to our body's functions, and supporting and maintaining our body's tissues. Blood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. There are certain situations when a person needs to receive a blood transfusion, which are typically performed to replace red blood cells that carry oxygen. These situations include:
Blood loss due to bleeding, surgery or a medical procedure. Medical conditions that prevent the body from producing new blood cells. Red blood cells normally have a life of three months. However, medical conditions such as anemia, kidney disease, cancer, leukemia and chronic disease may prevent the production of new blood cells. Transfusion may be necessary until the body is able to produce its own blood cells. Disease or blood loss that hinders the clotting process in a patient's blood. Plasma and fresh frozen plasma transfused separately may be necessary to promote proper clotting.
Blood Donation
The UCSF Blood Center offers a number of blood donation programs for UCSF's patients and the donor community. These include:
Autologous Donation (Giving Blood for Yourself) -- Autologous transfusion occurs when you are given blood you donated for yourself prior to your scheduled surgery. Directed Donation (Giving Blood for a Patient) -- If a patient needs blood and your blood is compatible, it can be designated specifically for them. Plateletpheresis (Giving Platelets for Patients with Special Needs) -- Plateletpheresis is a special kind of blood donation that collects only certain components of a donor's blood and returns the uncollected components back to the donor. Volunteer Donation (Giving Blood to the UCSF Patient Community) Numerous patients need blood from time to time. Here's a brief sampling of those who need blood:
How to Donate Blood
All potential donors must undergo a screening process before donating. Medical history, medications, travel history and blood count are reviewed in donor selection. Donated blood is typed and tested for evidence of infection before released for use. A "crossmatch," or final check, is performed with the recipients' blood prior to transfusion.
We advise all potential donors to answer screening and health questions carefully, to ensure the safety of the blood.
Patients at UCSF -- Your doctor begins the process by placing an "order" with the UCSF Blood Center for blood to be drawn. You or your designated donor(s) then may drop in at the Blood Center when convenient. Blood donated at UCSF will be ready for transfusion three working days after donation. This allows for all processing and testing performed on the unit of blood to ensure its safety. Other Donors -- Blood donations are conducted on a drop-in basis, with the exception of platelet donations. Platelet donors must first be evaluated and approved for donation. Approved platelet donors then may make an appointment for this more intensive donation process.
Donating Blood Elsewhere
You may be able to donate blood at your community blood bank for your use at UCSF. However, it takes more time and there may be processing and transfer charges by the blood bank performing the blood draw. Talk to your local blood bank about their policies and guidelines. You can confirm receipt of blood drawn elsewhere and transferred to UCSF for your use by calling the Blood Availability Line at (888) 226-8806.
The actual blood donation takes five to 10 minutes. The entire process takes 30 minutes, including registration and screening. Platelet donation takes two hours.
There is very little discomfort in donating. The UCSF Blood Center staff takes precautions before, during and after your donation to ensure your safety. Our staff will monitor your condition throughout the donation process for any signs of dizziness or light-headedness. All donors are asked to remain seated after their donation to rest and have some refreshments. Eating a low-fat meal within four hours before donating also is recommended.
After you donate blood, your body immediately starts working to restore the blood that was lost. Fluid stored in the tissues returns to the bloodstream and red blood cell production speeds up. A donor's blood volume is restored within a few hours. Red blood cells replace themselves more slowly, but are restored within the interval between donations.
Checking the Blood
All blood transfused at UCSF, whether donated at UCSF or at another blood center, must meet the donor eligibility requirements established by the State of California, the Food and Drug Administration and the American Association of Blood Banks. All donated units of blood are tested for evidence of viral or bacterial infections transmitted by blood. These include:
- Hepatitis viruses B and C
- HIV viruses
- HTLV-I/II -- rare viruses that cause diseases of the blood or nerves
- Syphilis
- West Nile virus
- Chagas
Risks of Transfusion
All donors are screened and donor blood tested, but there are still risks with any transfusion. The following are odds of infection from studies published in 1996:
- Infection with the AIDS virus -- 1 in 675,000 transfusions
- Infection with HTLV -- 1 in 640,000 transfusions
- Infection with Hepatitis B virus -- 1 in 63,000 transfusions
- Infection with Hepatitis C virus -- 1 in 100,000 transfusions
Other possible adverse reactions to a blood product include:
Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) is a potentially life-threatening reaction that can occur from transfusion between blood relatives. Irradiation of the donated blood prevents this occurrence, and is performed on all units of designated donor blood from blood relatives. As a precaution, women who may become pregnant should not receive a designated donation from their husband or partner, as it may be harmful to future children. A severe allergic reaction to a blood product occurs in 1 in 100,000 transfusions. Most allergic reactions are mild and cause a slight fever or rash.
For More Information
Contact Information
The UCSF Blood Center is located at:
500 Parnassus Ave.
Level I, Room MU09
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (415) 353-1809
Fax: (415) 353-8605
Blood Center Donation Form
To download a Blood Center Donation form, click here.
Hours of Operation
The UCSF Blood Center is open:
- Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.
- Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
The UCSF Blood Center also has a mobile van that is available for large-scale donations for specific patients as well as general blood drives that can be arranged in your community. Please call the Blood Center for more information on scheduling mobile blood drives.
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