Blood Bank
The MIOT Blood Bank is a state-of-the-art, 24-hour facility that offers the entire spectrum of services from blood collection to testing and component separation. Its services are organised according to functional areas, each handled by skilled and experienced staff.
Our blood bank handles over 30,000 units of blood every year, and more than 600 transfusions every month. Whole blood as well as blood components are available. Stringent practices ensure that every unit that leaves the blood bank is safe for patients.
The centre uses state-of-the-art equipment for the preparation of blood units without contamination, effective storage of platelets, automated blood grouping and crossmatching, screening for antibodies, separation and storage of blood components, preservation of clotting factors, testing for transfusion transmitted infection, and ensuring the quality of donated blood and blood components.
Blood collection
MIOT International’s donor complex has facilities for anonymous and directed donations and remains open throughout the day. Counsellors are available to talk to donors before and after donation.
Blood is collected only from voluntary donors who satisfy our stringent selection criteria and after proper screening tests for infectious diseases. MIOT’s blood bank meets all standards set by the state authorities, WHO and the American Association of Blood Banks.
The department also has the facility to register donors for an emergency panel to meet requirements when there are shortages and specific blood-group requirements.
Component separation
Blood component separation enables optimum utilisation of a scarce resource and promotes rational use of blood. The various blood components available are packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrate and cryoprecipitate.
Transfusion-transmitted infection screening
All donor units are screened for transfusion-transmissible infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria, using the advanced Abbott Architect i1000SR system.
Aphaeresis
Aphaeresis is the process of collecting a particular blood component from a donor to use in a patient for therapy. MIOT International is the only hospital to provide 24-hour therapeutic aphaeresis services for neurological, rheumatological, nephrological and haematological conditions.
Leuco-filtration of blood components
Removal of leucocytes (a type of white blood cell) from blood components has been shown to minimise reactions to transfused blood, HLA alloimmunization and platelet refractoriness in multi-transfused patients, and prevent transmission of leuco-tropic viruses such as EBV and CMV. This is especially important considering the rising incidence of haematological cancer patients who require multiple blood transfusions.
MIOT International is the only institution where all donated blood is 100% leuco-filtered according to international standards.
Facilities to assure safe blood and blood components
MIOT International’s Transfusion Medicine and Blood Bank facility uses advanced equipment to assure patients of safe blood and blood components.
- The Immucor Galileo fully-automated grouping and crossmatching system is used for platelet crossmatching, antibody screening and direct and indirect Coomb’s tests.
- The AutoVue fully-automated blood grouping and crossmatching system performs automated blood grouping and crossmatching, antibody screening, and direct and indirect Coomb’s tests.
- Platelet incubators and agitators are used to store platelets at a temperature of 22oC and agitate them constantly to avoid platelet aggregation.
- The refrigerated centrifuge separates blood components from whole blood effectively.
- Plasma freezers maintain the potency of clotting factors.
- The Terumo Automatic Extractor automatically separates components and helps to harvest high-quality blood products.
- The Sysmex fully-automated cell counter is used to check RBC, WBC, contamination, haemoglobin and platelet count (before plateletpheresis).
- The ABBOTT fully-automated, transfusion-transmitted, infection testing system helps to prevent transmission of infection.
- Sterile tube-connecting avoids blood bag contamination by connecting the bags of two tubes at 600oC.
Quality control
Quality control is of paramount importance at MIOT International. In order to ensure provision of safe and quality blood, regular quality control checks are done for all reagents, antisera, blood components and equipment. The department also participates in an external quality assurance with CMC, Vellore.