ABSTRACT
An important advancement in transfusion medicine was the recognition that not all patients required whole blood to treat their condition. As a matter of practicality, admin istration of whole blood to a patient that requires only plasma or pRBC is probably not harmful but could be considered wasteful. As techniques designed to extend the viability of blood products were developed further, the concept of blood component therapy was born. This not only resulted in improving resource management practices, but also diminished unnecessary risks to patients receiving blood products. By the administration of only the desired portion of blood, patients are not subjected to the possible complications of receiving the other components. Additionally, each unit collected may help more than one animal.
