Quality control of blood cell products - Collecting samples?

This article reviews the various techniques of sampling used for the qualit y control of blood cell products. The importance of this stage for the vali dity of quality control results is emphasized. Three sampling methods, i.e. , stripping, the sterile connection of sampling bag and the destructive met hod, are described in the form of operating modes and analyzed according to their advantages and drawbacks. The results of a comparative study carried out by the working group 'Blood Cell Products' of the French Society of Bl ood Transfusion ave presented, showing that each method is valid and permit s one to obtain a representative sample of the product to be controlled. Th us the diversity of the sampling methods allows us to select the one most a dapted to the product to be controlled and to the analyses to be carried ou t afterward. (C) 1999 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.