Mahavir Cancer Sansthan has achieved a milestone in safe blood transfusion, which could be a saving grace for hundreds undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The cancer hospital has mastered the technique of blood irradiation, a process by which blood is exposed to radiation.
According to experts, after transfusing the irradiated blood, the chances of having side effects minimise because the irradiated blood has less number of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system), which is the root cause of side effects.
Experts believe, the morbidity rate is 84 per cent in case of haemolytic transfusion reaction, an effect that occurs after blood transfusion.
Jitendra Kumar Singh, the director of Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, said at a news meet at Scada Business Centre on Sunday: “After blood transfusion there is always a chance of having side effect. Side effects could be seen immediately after blood transfusion or later. It has also been found that in 84 per cent cases of haemolytic transfusion reaction, patients die. Haemolytic transfusion reaction occurs in only 2-4 per cent of blood transfusion patients.”
Narrating the benefits of new-age technologies used in blood transfusions, he added: “We are happy that the sansthan has mastered the technique of irradiated blood transfusion. Irradiated blood could be useful in treating neonates, women who have suffered miscarriages and treating leukaemia patients, who need multiple transfusions and are at a greater risk of having side effects.”
He said many medicines, including anti-allergic or Cortisone injections, are given before blood transfusion so that these drugs could shield the body from side effects. “But they harm the body later. In Bihar, thousands of people undergo blood transfusion everyday. The new technique is needed in Bihar but hardly any hospital has it here,” the director said.
Manisha Singh, a doctor at the Sansthan, said it takes 3-4 minutes to irradiate the supplied blood on the radiation machine. “The cost of the process is very low,” Singh added.
