One donation with ABS can provide more than one blood component and help more than one patient in need. Each of the products collected at ABS goes through rigorous infectious disease testing to ensure the safety of our patients and our community.
Blood donations can be collected by utilizing two types of collection processes; by Whole Blood or by a process called Apheresis (A-fur-ee-sis).
Whole Blood Donation
Whole Blood is a living tissue that circulates through the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries carrying nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat and oxygen to the tissues in the body. Whole Blood contains Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, and Platelets suspended in a fluid called Plasma.
Apheresis (Platelets, Automated) Donation
Apheresis is the process of removing specific components of the blood (such as Platelets, Plasma, and Red Blood Cells) and returning the remaining components back to the donor. Apheresis donations allow us to tailor each donation for the components of which there is a particular need.
Autologous Donation
Autologous donation is the collection and re-infusion of the patient’s own blood. This donation is done prior to a scheduled surgery or procedure and requires a physician order.
Directed Donation
Directed donation is the collection of a blood component specifically directed to a particular patient. Directed donations may only be considered if the donor is compatible with the recipient, a physician orders the procedure, and the procedure is deemed a medical necessity.
Research Donation
ABS has partnerships with companies and organizations to collect components necessary for research development. These donations may only be considered at the request of the research facility. ABS does not pay donors for product collection.
Cell Therapy
Atlanta Blood Services is involved with cutting edge cellular therapies including Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) collections for transplantation to treat diseases such as Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, and other malignancies.
ABS participates in multiple research studies involving the transplantation of human cells to replace or repair damaged tissues and/or cells. We are conducting research using blood cells to treat conditions ranging from heart disease to prostate cancer. Many new applications for cell therapy are still being discovered.
Therapeutic Apheresis
Therapeutic Apheresis is prescribed by a physician for treatment of specific diseases. The process involves removing the component of blood that is contributing to the illness or disease. Types of Therapeutic Apheresis can include:
- Plasmapheresis: Removal of plasma and replacing the volume removed with an appropriate solution to reduce circulating antibodies and immune complexes. For treatment of diseases such as:
- Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome
- Hyperviscosity Syndromes
- Paraproteinemia
- Cryoglobulinemia
- Goodpasture's Syndrome
- Thrombotic Thromocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
- Plateletpheresis: Removal of Platelets when the patient has a disorder that causes the Platelet count to be extremely high. Plateletpheresis can help prevent complications associated with clotting and bleeding.
- Leukapheresis: Removal of the excess white blood cells from patients with Acute Leukemia.
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