German Haemapheresis Centre

and

German Apheresis Research Centre

Transfusion medicine

The DHZ mainly concentrates on blood donation for special applications, which is hardly being taken care of from other institutions, e.g. due to lack of facilities.

This refers for instance to different indications in surgery such as

• Preoperative autologous erythrocyte (plasma) donation
• Preoperative autologous platelet apheresis

Such concentrates are now prepared more frequently whereas older techniques are more or less replaced.

Further applications of apheresis related blood donations and cell separation in different medical fields are:
Donation of platelets (tumor patients), platelet-depletion, leukocytapheresis, e.g. granulocytapheresis, lymphocytapheresis, stem cell apheresis, leukocytedepletion (leukaemia), donation of multicomponents, autologous blood donation.

The autologous blood donation is frequently used in orthopaedics, urology, vascular surgery and cardiac surgery. It diminishes the risk of infection, which still plays a minor role in conventional transfusion. Also it is without negative influence on the immune system. For the patient / donor there is no negative effect anticipated, if security profiles are established prior to the first donation. The hospital, where the patient will undergo surgery, has to inform patients about the availability of autologous blood transfusion. Autologous blood transfusion is cost effective.
For further details please contact the physicians at DHZ.