Platelets are tiny blood cells that help our body to form clots to stop bleeding. Plateletpheresis or platelet donation is the procedure in which blood is drawn from a donor, platelets are separated and the remainder is returned to the donor.

 The procedure is carried out on a machine, called cell separator. The procedure of plateletpheresis  is generally well tolerated and considered safe, involves minimal risk of adverse events. Adverse events of variable severity may occur during or after the plateletpheresis procedure. Adverse events can be divided into immediate & delayed and also local & systemic. Immediate reactions are the ones which are experienced by donor, when he /she is in hospital. Delayed reactions are those which are experienced by donor after leaving the hospital.  Immediate reactions like pain/ swelling at venepuncture site  etc.   are noted in apheresis register and are managed in  the hospital. But Delayed reactions generally go unnoticed.

In this study, the voluntary platelet donors willing to participate in the study are telephonically contacted between day 7- day 8 of their platelet donation and a set of questionnaire is asked to note down any delayed reactions he / she might have experienced.

Our Institute being an oncology center has around 4000 procedures of plateletpheresis  each year. Analysis of adverse events, immediate & delayed will help to understand susceptible donors, incidence of various adverse events. The study will also help in donor retention, improve donor safety, increase donation frequency & thereby maintaining platelet donor pool & supply.