NEW OPTIONS FOR MULTICOMPONENT COLLECTION (MCC) WITH THE LATEST CELL SEPARATORS

Recently, several new cell separators have become available for high p latelet low WBC contamination thrombocytapheresis. In their original c onfiguration, these apparatuses can only collect plasma along with pla telets, while no concurrent red cell collection can be carried out. In this study, we present the preliminary results of plasma and/or eryth rothrombocytapheresis after the adaptation of the lines of two differe nt cell separators, namely the Fresenius AS 204 and the Baxter Health Care Amicus. in addition, the preliminary results of multicomponent co llection using the Dideco Excel will be presented; in the latter a sys tem of plasma recirculation was introduced, to increase the purity and quality of the platelet product. The results of these studies show th at erythrothrombocytapheresis can be carried out with all these appara tuses, but only with Dideco-Excel and the Fresenius AS 204 the procedu re is totally automated There are marginal differences in the quality of the RBC product in terms of percent hematocrit, from 65% with the E xcel and AS 204 to similar to 75% with the Amicus and in terms fetal c ontent of hemoglobin which averages 58 g per RBC concentrate when RBC collection is carried out during the processing of similar to 420 ml o f whole blood. In terms of platelet collection, the differences are pr esently moderate, as the platelet yield and WBC contamination are not affected by the concurrent RBC collection. The average platelet yield was 3.98-4.1, and 4.01 x 10(11) and the total WBC contamination was 1. 2-2.9, and 1.9 x 10(5) respectively with the Amicus, the AS 204 and th e Excel. These represent a new step in the direction of total apheresi s for blood and blood component procurement.