Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine, and Coagulation
This vital component of UPMC analyzes blood products provided to oncologic surgery, hematology/oncology, including bone marrow transplantation; the rheumatologic service of UPMC; and patients receiving solid organ transplants. The complex blood and serologic abnormalities occurring in these patients make this rotation an exciting and challenging one.
Residents learn routine and specialized immunohematologic tests, blood usage audit criteria, and blood procurement and discuss inventory and distribution problems, among other issues. Residents actively participate in the handling of autologous blood donations, phlebotomies, therapeutic apheresis, and hemotherapy. They also receive comprehensive experience in specialized hemotherapy needs and problems of patients in the trauma center; major cardiovascular surgical service; heart and lung, kidney, and liver transplantation programs; and hematology/oncology units.
