Green Plasma

Tree

When a woman on the contraceptive pill's blood is separated into plasma and packed cells, the plasma has a green tint to it. Does anyone know why?

Hendrixcat

I've worked in a hospital lab for a number of years and have never observed green tinted plasma. Where did you get this information?

DrIndy

its new to me as well........

Tree

blood bank, was working there for two weeks on placement. you dont notice it in the ten ml samples but you'll spot it a mile off in a pint. they spin down the whole blood donations into its various components and you can see that some plasma is particularly green.

think somoene reckons the oestrogen affects caeruloplasmin metabolism, and its a copper containing protein w. a blue tint so the plasma overall looks greeny.

Hendrixcat

Do the blood bank allow donations from women on the contraceptive pill? Surely a plasma sample that has any abnormality in it isn't suitable for transfusion?

Faith

I've donated blood and I'm on the Pill, so yes, I'd imagine they do.

Tree

red cells can be used no bother.

plasma from ALL women is discarded after separation

buffy coats (platlets, white cells, some red cells, of which white cells and red cells will be filtered out and binned) can sometimes be used if they need a lot of platelets adn there aren't enough from the dudes

Hendrixcat

I figured that the plasma couldn't be used. Is the pill the only reason female plasma is discarded or are there other factors?

Tree

women's plasma gives an increased risk of TRALI (transfusion related acute lung injury) a fatal condition. Can't for the life off me remember offhand why specifically women, but im sure someone else can google and share, possilby coz we have some right bitchy antibodies

DrIndy

I'm interested in why TRALI is more common in womens plasma. It's new info to me.

Please share.