J. Seghatchian et P. Krailadsiri, CURRENT METHODS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PLATELET CONCENTRATES - LABORATORY AND CLINICAL ASPECTS, Transfusion science, 18(1), 1997, pp. 27-32
Modern blood transfusion services are striving to attain the highest s
tandards through continual quality improvement and ensure that a forma
lised quality system is in place in the organisation for time manageme
nt and waste reduction. With respect to the production of platelet con
centrates (PCs), semi-automated and automated procedures are now avail
able which are convenient and allow the processing of multiple packs s
imultaneously or the production of multiple doses of PCs with low leuc
ocyte content. Nevertheless, PCs are highly heterogeneous on the basis
of cellular content and storage stability. Statistical process contro
l (SPC) is essential to ensure that optimal quality is maintained. In
the light of new developments in platelet production, their clinical e
ffect should be reappraised. This article highlights some of the key f
eatures in the production of PCs, focusing on basic concepts and quali
ty indicators which reflect in vivo functions. The potential for bacte
riological contamination and future production strategies are briefly
mentioned. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.