Why are red blood cells important?
Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue, and remove carbon dioxide. People who have been in car accidents and have suffered massive blood loss may require transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells. Concentrated red blood cells are the most often ordered blood components for surgery. Over 60% of all needed transfusion units are red cells. Red blood cells must be transfused within 42 days.
