Blood banking

Blood banking (pronunciation: /blʌd bæŋkɪŋ/) refers to the process of collecting, testing, processing, and storing blood and blood components for later use in transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a division of a hospital where the storage of blood product occurs.

Etymology

The term "blood bank" was first used by Dr. Bernard Fantus in 1937 in an effort to advertise the availability of blood stored for transfusions at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. The term "bank" was used to enhance the idea that the hospital could store and preserve blood, similar to how a bank stores and preserves money.

Related Terms

Blood donation: The process of voluntarily having blood drawn for storage in a blood bank or for transfusion to a specific individual.
Blood transfusion: The process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously.
Blood type: Classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells.
Plasma: The liquid component of blood, in which the blood cells are suspended.
Platelets: Small blood cells that help the body form clots to stop bleeding.
Red blood cells: Cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
White blood cells: Cells that fight infections and aid in the immune response.
Antigen: A substance that the body recognizes as foreign and that can provoke an immune response.
Antibody: A protein produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances.
Crossmatching: A test performed before a blood transfusion to determine if the donor's blood is compatible with the blood of an intended recipient.