Final answer:
Blood transfusions involve the intravenous administration of components like red blood cells, platelets, or plasma. The matching of donor and recipient's ABO blood type is critical to avoid adverse reactions. In emergency or dehydration cases, saline solution can be used to restore blood volume or fluid balance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood transfusion is the administration intravenously of whole blood or blood components, such as red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, or plasma. These are critical components involved in carrying oxygen, aiding in clotting, and providing essential proteins and solutes, respectively. In emergency scenarios where specific blood types are unavailable, medics may use saline solutions to replenish lost blood volume. Furthermore, research is on the way to develop artificial blood products containing oxygen carriers like hemoglobin and perfluorocarbons that circumvent blood type incompatibilities during transfusions.
Blood/blood product transfusions are necessary for various medical conditions. For example, a person suffering from anemia may require additional RBCs, while someone who has lost significant blood volume might need a complete blood transfusion. It's crucial that the ABO blood type of the donor matches the recipient to prevent severe immune reactions such as hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR). In the case of dehydration, intravenous fluids, like saline solution, are administered to the patient to restore fluid balance.