Blood product irradiation - purpose (TA-GVHD prevention)
Core concept
- Blood product gamma/X-ray irradiation inactivates donor T-lymphocytes by damaging their DNA, preventing them from proliferating -- sole purpose is to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD)
- TA-GVHD occurs when viable donor lymphocytes engraft and attack recipient tissue, and the recipient's immune system fails to reject them -- almost universally fatal (unlike solid organ/marrow transplant GVHD)
- Irradiation does not remove leukocytes (that is leukoreduction, a separate process for a separate purpose -- reducing FNHTR/CMV/HLA alloimmunisation) and does not affect red cell/platelet function
3 more sections, plus exam facts
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