Platelet Apheresis: Experience of the blood transfusion center of Avicenne military hospital in Marrakesh

Abstract

Apheresis platelet concentrates (APC) are platelet suspensions obtained by apheresis from a cell separator. These techniques, which appeared a little more than 20 years ago, are currently the best way to obtain platelets in large quantities from a single donor. These separators, whether discontinuous or continuous flow, perform extracorporeal circulation from anticoagulated blood, which allows the collection of platelets, returning to the donor his red blood cells and a more or less important part of his plasma. The procedures used are all automated and often adaptable to the donor's parameters. Apheresis platelet concentrates are single-donor products and therefore limit the transfusion risks compared to standard platelet concentrate mixtures, which are derived from five to six donors on average. The objective of our work is to study platelet donations by apheresis technique, their advantage, indication, and description of the equipment used, during a period of 3 years, from July 2017 until July 2020. And during this period, 29 apheresis procedures were performed by HAEMONETICS' MCS+. The clinical hematology department is the first applicant of APC where acute leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are the most treated pathologies by this substitution.