ÚHKT - Ústav hematologie a krevní transfuze
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Information on Collection

Blood platelet donation

  • due to the short lifespan of blood platelets and their current demand, donors are contacted by phone only with 1-2 days' notice for a specific patient, while maintaining anonymity between donor and recipient. During the telephone conversation with staff, the donor arranges a specific day and time for donation (7:00 or 8:30), and any possible current restrictions on donation are assessed
  • the day before donation, it is advisable to follow dietary restrictions, avoid physically strenuous activities, do not eat fatty foods, do not drink alcohol
  • before donation, donors undergo a current blood count examination, the donor completes a pre-donation questionnaire and undergoes examination by a doctor from the Apheresis Department, who will assess their eligibility for donation. The donor has the right to pre-donation refreshments (pastries, coffee, tea), it is not advisable to come to donation on an empty stomach.
  • the actual donation takes 60–70 minutes and during this time the donor is cared for by an experienced team of doctors and nurses. The duration of the donation depends on the donor's body composition, blood count parameters before donation, and the condition of the venous access. Donation can be performed in two ways depending on the condition of the donor's venous access. Single-arm donation, where donation and blood return alternate in cycles during the procedure, or double-arm donation, where blood is drawn from one arm and returned to the other arm. The material used during donation is sterile and single-use only.
  • apheresis donors in most cases undergo the procedure without complications, complications may occasionally occur, in most cases they are minor and the department staff resolve them without difficulty. This may include hypotension – a drop in blood pressure, hypocalcemia – a drop in blood calcium levels, which may cause tingling of the mouth, fingertips, or problems with venous access. In case of any complications during donation, this information must be reported to the Apheresis Department staff in a timely manner.
  • the usual intervals between platelet donations are 4 weeks, the interval can be shortened to 14 days in exceptional circumstances according to the doctor's decision. Platelet donations can also be combined with other types of donations (whole blood, plasma) after consultation with the donor, it is necessary to maintain the recommended intervals between individual types of donations.
  • after donation, the donor has the right to post-donation refreshments worth 130 CZK (package or voucher for our La Fresca cafeteria).
  • after donation, we recommend physical rest, do not lift heavy objects, and adequately replenish fluids.
  • the donor has the right to a day off work on the day of donation with compensation ( Act 262/2016 Coll., § 203, para. 2 letters d) and c). For each non-remunerated donation, the donor has the right to a tax deduction ( Act No. 586/1992 Coll., § 15, para. 1, amendment to Regulation 254/2017). Health insurance companies provide non-remunerated blood platelet donors with various benefits, the donors are also appreciated by the Czech Red Cross (Donor appreciation (cervenykriz.eu) ).