Platelet donors of all blood groups are needed for the Blood Bank of the Río Piedras Medical Center, because supplies need to be increased.
According to the executive director of the Medical Services Administration (ASEM), Jorge Matta González, these platelets are used in cancer patients, people undergoing complex surgeries and those with coagulation disorders who come to the main hospital in Puerto Rico in search of medical attention.
“Platelet donation can save between one and three lives, depending on the amount collected, but it needs to be a continuous process, due to the short useful life of this component. Platelets cannot be produced artificially and their availability can make the difference between life and death for many of our patients,” Matta González highlighted in a press release.
For his part, the medical director of ASEM, Dr. Israel Ayala Oliveras, stated that “platelets are an essential component of blood that helps clotting and prevents hemorrhages. They are particularly necessary for patients receiving chemotherapy treatments, organ transplants, surgeries or suffering serious accidents. However, their shelf life is very limited, because they only last 5 days, which requires a constant supply of donations to cover hospital demands.”
To donate platelets, you must be between 21 and 70 years old, weigh more than 130 pounds, and be in good health. Additionally, the donor must not have consumed aspirin in the previous 48 hours, nor antibiotics 72 hours before the donation.
On the other hand, to donate blood, you must be between 16 and 80 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds (for donors aged 16 to 20, they must weigh more than 130 pounds and donors aged 16 and 17 must have an authorization signed by a father, mother, guardian or guardian), and be in good health at the time of donation.
Unlike a whole blood donation, platelet donation is a specialized process known as apheresis, in which platelets are specifically removed from the donor’s blood. This procedure takes approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours, and donors can donate platelets up to 24 times a year, unlike whole blood donation, which can only be done every 56 days.
The Puerto Rico Blood Bank at the Medical Center provides blood components to key hospitals in the health system, such as the Adult, Pediatric, Industrial, Trauma and Municipal University Hospitals of San Juan.
“The Blood Bank needs between 10 and 12 donors daily to maintain an adequate inventory of platelets. It is a considerable number of donors required per day, especially during festive seasons and vacations, when donations decrease, but demand tends to increase,” the doctor emphasized.
Although on this occasion the exhortation is to donate platelets, Ayala stressed that “the institution continues to request blood donors, especially type O-, which is called the universal and essential donor for medical emergencies. “The supply of type O- blood remains limited, and is crucial for saving lives in critical situations, such as traffic accidents and patients with severe trauma.”
Platelet donations require an appointment, while blood donations can be made without an appointment at the Blood Bank facilities, located between the main parking lot of the hospital complex and the External Clinics, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm For more information about the requirements or to coordinate your appointment, you can call (787) 777-3844 or write to citabancosangre@asem.pr.gov.
