What Is Automated Donation/Apheresis

What Is Automated Donation/Apheresis

Automated Donation, or Apheresis, is the process by which platelets and other blood components are collected from a donor using a cell separator. Blood is drawn from the donor, and Platelets, Plasma and/or Red Cells are collected by the cell separator. The remaining components are returned to the donor along with saline fluid. Each procedure takes one to two hours. Donor may watch movies, read, or simply relax during the donation. The word itself is derived from the Greek word “aphaeresis,” meaning “to take away.”

Automated Donation Type Optimal Blood types needed Length between donations Donation process time
Automated Red Cells O-, O+, B-, A- Every 16 weeks 1 to 1.5 hours
Red Cell + Platelet O-, O+, B-, A-, AB- Every 8 weeks 1.5 to 2 hours
Red Cell + Double Platelet O-, O+, B-, A-, AB- Every 8 weeks 1.5 to 2 hours
Single Platelet All blood types Every 8 days 1 hour 20 min
Double Platelet All blood types Every 8 days 1.5 to 2 hours
Plasma + Platelet AB+, AB- Every 4 weeks 1.5 hours
Jumbo Plasma AB+, AB- Every 24 days 20 minutes