There are frequent cases when, with large blood loss, the patient must undergo a transfusion of liquid connective tissue from the donor. In practice, it is customary to use biological material that matches the group and the Rh factor. However, the blood of some people is considered universal, and in a critical situation, its transfusion can save the patient's life. There are also individuals who can transfuse fluid connective tissue of any group. They are considered universal recipients.
Why is blood group compatibility important?
Transfusion of fluid connective tissue is a serious medical procedure. It must be carried out in accordance with certain conditions. As a rule, blood transfusion is indicated for seriously ill patients, people who have complications after surgery, etc.
Before transfusion, it is important to select a donor whose blood is compatible with the recipient's biomaterial in the group. There are four of them: I (O), II (A), III (B) and IV (AB). Each of them also has a negative or positive Rh factor. If the compatibility condition is not met, an agglutination reaction occurs during the blood transfusion process. It involves the bonding of red blood cells with their subsequent destruction.
The consequences of such a transfusion are extremely dangerous:
- blood function is impaired;
- failures in the work of most organs and systems;
- metabolic processes slow down.
A natural result is post-transfusion shock (manifested by fever, vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid pulse), which can result in death.
Rh factor compatibility. Its significance in transfusion
During transfusion, not only the blood type, but also the Rh factor should be taken into account. This is a protein present on the membranes of red blood cells. The vast majority of the world's inhabitants (85%) have it, while the remaining 15% do not. Accordingly, the former have a positive Rhesus factor, the latter negative. When blood transfusion can not be mixed.
Thus, a patient with a negative Rh factor should not receive liquid connective tissue, in the erythrocytes of which this protein is present. If this rule is not observed, the recipient's immune system will begin a powerful fight against foreign substances. As a result, the Rh factor will be destroyed. When the situation repeats, the red blood cells will begin to stick together, thereby provoking the appearance of serious complications.
The Rh factor remains unchanged throughout life. In this regard, people who do not have it, you need to pay special attention to blood transfusion. Women with a negative Rh factor should notify the attending physician and obstetrician-gynecologist about the occurrence of pregnancy. A mark containing this information is entered on an outpatient card.
Universal recipient
Donate your blood, i.e. Any person can be a donor for people in need. But when transfusing, it is important to consider the compatibility of the biomaterial.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a scientist from Austria suggested, and soon proved that the process of gluing red blood cells (agglutination) is a sign of the activity of the immune system, due to the presence in the blood of 2 reactive substances (agglutinogens) and 2 that can interact with them (agglutinins). The first was given the designations A and B, the second - a and b. Blood is incompatible if the substances of the same name come into contact: A and a, B and b. Thus, agglutinogens that do not stick together with agglutinins must be contained in the liquid connective tissue of each person.
Each blood type has its own characteristics. Particularly noteworthy is IV (AB). In the red blood cells contained in it, there are both A and B agglutinogens, but there are no agglutinins in the plasma that contribute to the bonding of red blood cells during transfusion of donor blood. People with group IV are considered universal recipients. The process of transfusion in them rarely causes complications.
A universal recipient is a person who can receive blood from any donor. In this case, the agglutination reaction does not occur. But meanwhile, blood of group IV is allowed to be transfused only to people with it.
Universal donor
In practice, doctors select the donor that is most suitable for the recipient. Blood transfused in the same group. But this is not always possible. In a critical situation, the patient may be transfused with blood of group I. Its feature is the absence of agglutinogens, but there are a and b agglutinins in the plasma . This makes its owner a universal donor. When transfusion, gluing of red blood cells will also not occur.
This feature is taken into account when transfusing a small amount of connective tissue. If you need to transfer a large volume, only the same group is taken, just as the universal recipient cannot accept a lot of donated blood from another group.
Finally
Blood transfusion is a medical procedure that can save lives of seriously ill patients. Some people are universal blood recipients or donors. In the first case, they can take fluid connective tissue of any group. In the second - their blood is transfused to all people. Thus, universal donors and recipients have special groups of connective tissue.