Two Automatic Methods to Prepare Buffy Coat Platelet Concentrates: Evaluation of Impact on the Organization of Production in a Transfusion Centre

Abstract

Background/Case Studies: Basically, the automatic techniques OrbiSac® (Caridian BCT) and TACSI® (Terumo) perform in one shift many manual operations: centrifugation, separation and leucoreduction by fi ltration of the buffy coat (BC pool). Last year we produced 50% of the platelet concentrate (PC) production from BC (7,650 BC-PC per year).We tried to evaluate some special conditions of the two systems and the impact on the organization of the laboratory. Study Design/Methods: We routinely use the Orbisac® equipment, but we prepared more than 500 BC-PC by TACSI®. Whole blood (WB) units were collected on day 0 and stored overnight at 22°C. On day 1, WB was processed to obtain RCC, FFP and BC. The BC units had a mean volume of 52.2 ± 3.5 ml; mean hematocrit 35.2 ± 6.1%. We have 4 Orbisac® devices at our disposition and 1 TACSI® device.The main steps in the preparation of the BC-pool are:a) The BCs must remain without agitation at 22 ± 2°C, at least 2 hours.b) Assign a number to a pool made up of 5 BC (entered into a computer).c) Five BC ABO isogroup were connected by sterile sealing (TSC-II, Terumo®) to processing set and 280 ml of InterSol (AS) bag.d) Manual rinsing of BCs with AS.e) BC-Pools were packed and placed in the automatic devices.All steps were executed in “a chain”, one technician did step b), other did steps c) and d), another completed step e). Results/Findings: We register the mean time of each cycle in both machines, from step 1 to step 4, their descript ion and the duration are shown in attached table. The prior work included in steps a), b), c) and d) is the same using either machine. The mean platelet content in fi nal platelet concentrate (PC) in routine conditions for Orbisac® and TACSI® were respectively 3.88 ± 0.4 × 1011 (n = 180) and 3.92 ± 0.5 × 1011(n = 80). Following this procedure, work in “a chain”, with 4 Orbisac® we can obtain 20 PCs per hour, with 5 we could get 25 PCs. Our experience with TACSI® is less than with the other system. We obtained 12 PCs per hour (54 minutes) using 1 TACSI® device. Conclusion: Two automatic methods can be easily implemented in a transfusion center. Using both technologies we are able to prepare high quality products reducing the variation due to manual operation and improving standardization and pro-ductivity of PCs process. We had been able to reach high platelet concentra-tion to applied pathogen reduction treatment, implemented in our center since 2008