transfuse

Another 8% have O negative blood, often called the universal blood type, which can be safely transfused into any patient, because it will not trigger an immune response.

Dozens of additional units may have to be transfused if bleeding continues or worsens, he added.

The reason why it is necessary to remove the A and B antigens to create universal donor blood is because they can trigger life-threatening immune reactions when transfused into non-matched recipients.

Blood that is destined for new babies, immunocompromised patients, pregnant women or to be transfused into a foetus in-uterine must be screened for a virus called cytomegalovirus or CMV.

The interventions just aren’t as exotic as transfusing yourself with a young person’s blood.