Red blood cells, plasma, and other new apheresis-derived blood products: Improving product quality and donor utilization

Abstract

T HE DEVELOPMENT of apheresis collection techniques began with processes to collect white cells or platelets from donors. These techniques have been in use for more than 20 years and also have been developed into various therapeutic procedures. The purpose of this review is to discuss the products that have been made available through more recently developed instruments. Products include apheresis plasma, apheresis red blood cells, combinations of red blood cells and plasma, or red blood cells and platelets. In addition, the collection of apheresis plasma has allowed the subsequent processing of this material to permit the development of apheresis cryoprecipitate, and apheresis cryo-poor-plasma (cryo-supernatant plasma). A variety of instruments have been developed that allow for the collection of these various products, and they are discussed in sections dealing with each of the different products. The aims in the development of apheresisderived product collections are severalfold: apheresis inherently allows for application of good manufacturing practices and thus improves the quality of the product. Not only is the product improved from the standpoint of component materials but also it yields improved safety by reducing the number of donor exposures per transfusion. Apheresis also allows for improved yields of components from the donor. This allows for increased efficiency in terms of products collected per donor visit. The outcome is that many donors are able to give one or more transfusable doses of a product in a single apheresis donation.