Plasma Donations

More information on Apheresis Donations
Download Plasma Apheresis Data Sheet
Download Plasma Apheresis Fact Sheet
Download Blood Bulletin

What is plasma?

Plasma is the yellow liquid portion of your blood that carries all the other cells, immune properties, and clotting agents. This part of the blood helps your body to maintain good blood pressure and volume and supplies proteins for blood clotting and immunity.

Gale Pasquarette donates plasma at the Buffalo site

Who needs plasma?

Plasma is used to treat trauma patients, burn victims, transplant surgery patients, and those with serious infections or bleeding disorders.

• Liver Transplant patients may need 6 to 10 units of red cells, 20 units of plasma, and 1 platelet transfusion.
• Open Heart Surgery (Adult) patients may need 2 to 4 units of plasma, 1 to 2 platelet transfusions, and 2 to 6 units of red cells.
• Open Heart Surgery (Newborn) patients may need 1 to 4 units of red cells, 1 to 2 units of plasma, and 1 to 3 platelet transfusions.

Plasma Donor Wilton Alston helps save up to four lives with each donation.

Who can be a plasma donor?

Almost anyone can be a plasma donor. However, AB blood is extra-special. AB is the universal plasma type AND it is the rarest of all the blood types - only 4% of the population has it.

Many emergency rooms only stock AB plasma because when someone comes in critically injured in a car accident, there's no time to find out the blood type.

How often can you donate plasma?

Fresh plasma is frozen shortly after donation and thawed just before it is used. Plasma donors can donate up to 4 patient doses, give every 28 days, up to 12 times a year. (Donate by appointment only.) If you'd like to be one of these very special donors, call us at 1-800-545-4086, or email us at apheresisdonor@usa.redcross.org.