A SYSTEM FOR THE SUPPLY OF PLATELETS SUSPENDED IN A STORAGE MEDIUM INCLUDING BUFFY-COAT-DERIVED PLATELET CONCENTRATES IN COMBINATION WITH SPLIT APHERESIS PLATELETS

Our objective was to create a system for the supply of platelet concen trates (PCs) based on leukocyte-filtered PCs suspended in a storage me dium (PAS-II) including: (1) pooled buffy-coat-derived (BC) PCs and (2 ) ''split'' apheresis PCs. The same standards were intended for the tw o preparations with regard to composition and blood cell counts. In pr eliminary studies, similar in vitro data were found for leukocyte-filt ered and non-filtered reference BC PCs. Slightly inferior in vitro res ults than for BC PCs restricted the shelf-life of apheresis PCs to 5 d ays compared to 7 days for BC PCs. With the present platelet supply sy stem in use as a routine service for one year, the experience was very satisfactory, meeting the demands for PCs very efficiently and result ing in a low out-dating rate (5%). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.