DefinitionExchange transfusion is a potentially life-saving procedure that is done to counteract the effects of serious jaundice or changes in the blood due to diseases such as sickle cell anemia.The procedure involves slowly removing the patient's blood and replacing it with fresh donor blood or plasma.See also: Newborn jaundiceDescriptionAn exchange transfusion requires that the patient's blood be removed and replaced. In most cases, this involves placing one or more thin tubes, called catheters, into a blood vessel. The exchange transfusion is done in cycles, each one usually lasts a few minutes.The patient's blood is slowly withdrawn (usually about 5 to 20 mL at a time, depending on the patient's size and the severity of illness). An equal amount of fresh, prewarmed blood or plasma flo