Products

  • Red Blood Cells – Two major types of red blood cell products are available:

    Red blood cells with 100 mL additive solution (AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5); final hematocrit usually 55 to 60 percent. Red blood cells with CPDA-1 solution (anticoagulant-preservative only); final hematocrit no higher than 80 percent.

    Red blood cells with additive solution (AS) contain red blood cells with 90 percent of the plasma removed and 100 mL of a special solution containing necessary additional preservative to increase shelf life. Additive solutions give the red blood cells a 42-day shelf life. Red blood cells with CPDA-1 solution have a 35-day shelf life. Due to the presence of the additional preservative solution, the AS units have a higher volume and lower hematocrit than red blood cells with CPDA-1 solution. RBC components are indicated for treatment of symptomatic deficit of oxygen carrying capacity due to lower hemoglobin level.

  • Red Blood Cells, Leukoreduced – Red blood cells in which the leukocyte number has been reduced to less than 5 x 106 in the final product and with at least 85 percent of the original red blood cells. Leukocyte reduction is accomplished by filtering red blood cells through a leukocyte reduction filter. Leukocyte reduced components are indicated to decrease frequency of recurrent febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions.

  • Fresh Frozen Plasma – Plasma separated from whole blood or collected by Apheresis and frozen within 8 hours of phlebotomy to preserve all clotting factors. This is stored at -18°c. Plasma transfusion is indicated for bleeding patients or patients undergoing surgical procedures with multiple coagulation factor deficiencies.

  • Plasma Frozen, within 24 hours of the phlebotomy – Plasma frozen between 8-24 hours after collection and for transfusion purposes can be considered therapeutically equivalent to FFP.

  • Platelets – A minimum of 5.5 x 1010 (1 unit) of platelets in 50 to 70 mL of plasma obtained by separating the platelet-rich plasma from one unit of fresh whole blood. Platelet transfusions are indicated when the platelet count is so low bleeding is likely.

  • Platelets Pheresis Leukoreduced – Each bag contains a minimum of 3.0 x 1011 platelets (equivalent to about 5 to 6 units of pooled random donor units) and less than 5 x 106 leukocytes in 200 to 400 mL of plasma collected from a single donor by apheresis (automated cell separation devices).

  • Cryoprecipitated AHF (Antihemophiliac Factor) – Each bag is prepared from one unit of whole blood and contains approximately 80 to 120 units of Factor VIII (antihemophilic factor) and greater than 150 mg of fibrinogen in 10-15 ml of plasma, Cryoprecipitate serve as a source for Factor VIII, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor and Factor XIII.

  • Cryoprecipitated AHF Pooled – Each bag is prepared from 4, 5 or 6 individual units of cryoprecipitate described above, that are combined in to one dose.

  • Plasma Derivatives – (Available for hospitals in emergency need. Please contact your Red Cross representative if needed.)

    Plasma donated to the Red Cross can be used to produce several plasma derivatives including:

    • Factor VIII – Lyophilized concentrate containing large quantities of Factor VIII. This product in prepared from large pools of donor plasma, but heat and or solvent detergent treatment during the fractionation process almost eliminates the risk of transmission of viral disease.

    • Factor IX – Lyophilized concentrate containing large quantities of Factor IX. It also contains Factors II, VII, and X. This product is prepared from large pools of donor plasma, but the heat treatment during the fractionation process significantly reduces the risk of transmitting viral disease.

  • Irradiated Blood Components – Blood products which have been exposed to a measured amount of radiation, thereby rendering the donor lymphocytes incapable of replication. These are indicated for immunosupressed patients such as bone marrow transplant patients.

Source: Circular of Information, For the Use of Human Blood and Blood Components; AABB, ABC and ARC, 2002.

National Blood Resource Education Program's Transfusion Therapy Guidelines for Nurses, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1990.