Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
3336645 | Transfusion Medicine Reviews | 2015 | 11 Pages |
Whole blood is not usually collected close to the processing site, which results in a holding time between collection and processing. In some countries, the holding time is limited to 8 hours, after which the units are cooled, rendering them useless for platelet preparation. Other countries allow a 24-hour (“overnight”) ambient hold to allow platelet preparation. The impact of this holding time on subsequent blood components will be reviewed in this article. In addition, there are various “in-process” holding times that further prolong the time before the final blood component is ready. Particularly, these in-process holding times are not well defined and poorly controlled, but can nevertheless affect the biochemical and functional characteristics of blood components. Furthermore, current, non–evidence-based, guidelines have restricted the length of some of these holding times. This article summarizes the evidence and fills gaps where evidence is lacking.