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Granulocyte Transfusion

Renal and Transfusion Therapy

A granulocyte transfusion infuses granulocytes, a category of white blood cell that includes neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils, into a patient's blood, historically to prevent or treat infection in people with neutropenia, an abnormally low level of neutrophils. Use of the treatment declined in the 1980s but saw renewed interest in the 1990s, driven by improved methods for harvesting granulocytes through leukapheresis, a process that separates white blood cells from red blood cells and plasma, and by a growing population of severely neutropenic patients following chemotherapy; donors may be given corticosteroids or a growth factor beforehand to raise their granulocyte count. Because granulocytes have a short shelf life, they are recommended for transfusion within hours of collection, and the treatment's efficacy remains poorly understood and its use controversial, with recognized adverse effects including fever, chills and respiratory symptoms.

Facts
Classification
Status
Standard of Care 1
Origin Year
1960 2
FAQs

How long can collected granulocytes be kept before a transfusion?

Granulocyte products keep for up to 24 hours at room temperature but should be transfused as soon as possible.

According to an educational case published on PubMed Central, granulocyte products can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours but should be transfused as soon as possible after collection.
Connections

Associated With

Granulocyte transfusion is a transfusion medicine procedure within hematology.

Treats

Source Wikipedia: Granulocyte Transfusion
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
2. Wikipedia: Granulocyte Transfusion
Wikipedia
  • History section
    The first human granulocyte transfusions were carried out in the 1960s, using white blood cells harvested from people with chronic myeloid leukemia and concentrated using centrifugation.
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granulocyte_transfusion, lead section
    A granulocyte transfusion is a medical procedure in which granulocytes are infused into a person's blood.
  • Treats: Neutropenia, Article text, use for Neutropenia
    Granulocyte transfusions were historically used to prevent and treat infections in people with neutropenia (an abnormally low level of neutrophils), but the practice declined in popularity in the 1980s.
  • In Group: Blood Transfusion and Blood Components, Introduction, sentence 1
    A granulocyte transfusion is a medical procedure in which granulocytes are infused into a person's blood.
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