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Information for collection

Platelet collection

  • Due to the short lifetime of platelets and their current need, donors are only ordered by phone 1-2 days in advance for a specific patient, while maintaining anonymity between donor and recipient. During the telephone conversation with the staff, the donor arranges a specific day and time for the donation (7:00 or 8:30), and any current restrictions on donation are assessed
  • the day before the donation, it is advisable to observe the regimen, not to perform physically strenuous activities, not to eat fatty food, not to drink alcohol
  • before the donation, the donor will have his/her current blood count checked, fill in a pre-donation questionnaire and undergo an examination by a doctor of the Apheresis Department who will assess his/her eligibility for donation. The donor is entitled to pre-donation refreshments (pastries, coffee, tea), it is not advisable to be fasting for the donation.
  • The collection itself takes 60-70 minutes and during the collection the donor is cared for by an experienced team of doctors and nurses. The duration of the donation depends on the donor's physical constitution, blood count parameters before the donation and the state of venous access. The donation can be performed in two ways depending on the condition of the donor's venous access. One-handed collection, in which the collection and return of blood alternate in cycles during the collection, or two-handed collection, in which blood is collected from one hand and returned to the other hand. The material used in the collection is sterile and disposable.
  • In most cases, donors complete the instrumental collection without complications; occasionally complications may occur, but in most cases they are minor and are easily resolved by the department staff. These can be hypotension-a drop in blood pressure, hypocalcemia-a drop in blood calcium levels that cause tingling in the mouth, fingertips, or problems with venous access. If any problems arise during collection, this information should be communicated to the Apheresis Department staff in a timely manner.
  • The usual interval between platelet collections is 4 weeks; the interval may be reduced to 14 days in emergency situations at the discretion of the physician. Platelet collections can also be combined with other types of collections (whole blood, plasma) after agreement with the donor, but the recommended intervals between each type of collection must be maintained.
  • After the donation, the donor is entitled to a post-donation refreshment worth 130 CZK (a package or a voucher to our La Fresca buffet).
  • After the donation, we recommend physical austerity, not lifting heavy loads and sufficient fluid replenishment.
  • The donor is entitled to time off from work on the day of the donation with wage compensation ( Act 262/2016 Coll., § 203, paragraph 2, letters d) and c). For each non-contributory donation, the donor is entitled to a tax deduction (active reference to Act No. 586/1992, § 15, paragraph 1, amended by Decree 254/2017). Health insurance companies contribute various benefits to non-contributory platelet donors, and the Czech Red Cross also rewards donors (Valuation of donors (cervenykriz.eu) ).