SUCCESSFUL TRANSFUSION OF PLATELETS CRYOPRESERVED FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 54  (5) , 1023-1027
Abstract
To determine the duration of storage for cryopreserved platelets, 14 transfusions of random-donor, pooled platelets, stored in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen for a mean period of 1157 days (range 1060-1240), were analyzed. Of these, 12 transfusions were compared in a paired fashion with fresh, random-donor, pooled platelets given within a few days to the same thrombocytopenic recipients. Platelets were frozen using 5% dimethylsulfoxide as a cryoprotective agent at a controlled rate of -1.degree. C/min to -80.degree. C or by simply placing them in the vapor phase (-120.degree. C) of a liquid nitrogen freezer. The mean freeze-thaw loss for the 14 transfusions was 22%, and the mean corrected 1 h increment in platelet count was 12,600/.mu.l. In the 12 paired observations, the mean corrected 1 h increment for frozen platelets was 11,800/.mu.l and 25,900 for fresh platelets, giving a frozen/fresh recovery of 46%. Random donor platelets could be cryopreserved by these methods for greater than 3 yr with satisfactory posttransfusion increments. A reservoir of frozen platelets, random-donor for emergency transfusion or of known HLA-type for transfusion to alloimmunized patients, can apparently be established and stored for at least 3 yr.