Dip.Ing. (FH) Frauke Dormann (Regensburg/ DE), Dr. Viola Hähnel (Regensburg/ DE), Viktoria Müller (Regensburg/ DE), Prof. Dr. Ralph Burkhardt (Regensburg/ DE), PD Dr. Robert Offner (Regensburg/ DE)
Background
Blood products like platelet concentrates (PCs) or erythrocyte concentrates (ECs) are highly sensitive to shifts in temperature and mechanical stress. Due to reconstruction of the internal transport system, a new pneumatic tube system (PTS) – Sumetsberger, Vienna - links the blood bank with the wards. Analogous to the evaluation of transporting PCs with the previously existing PTS, we have set out to validate the transport of PCs, ECs and therapeutic plasma (TP) with the new PTS.
Methods
Rate of speed at the PTS was set to 3 m/sec. Irradiated PC and EC (> 21 days old) and thawed TP (each n=6) were transported as single products by the new PTS. Multiple transports per product (TP 1x, PC 2x, EC 5x) were carried out on the longest possible distance between the blood bank and wards. Temperatures as well as mechanical stress (acceleration and vibration) were monitored by data loggers. Further, we recorded transport duration and visual control of the products. Rate of hemolysis (rh), hematocrit (hct) and potassium (K+) were analyzed in EC, pH value and CD62P activation in PC as well as coagulation parameters in TP. Product samples were analyzed before start and after each bidirectional transport.
Results
Visual control was overall inconspicuous. EC: rh, hct and K+ were within specifications of < 0.8%, < 70% and < 80mmol/l, respectively with low coefficients of variation (CV; max. 2.9%). PC: The pH-value (median pH 7.56, CV 0.4%) remained within specification of pH 6.4 - pH 7.8. The platelet activation marker CD62P displayed 24.4% (median, CV 18.1%). TP: Quick, INR and PTT showed no relevant changes between pre- and post- transport. Regarding FVIII, all TP complied with the specification of >70%. The temperature of EC (n=4, 2x transport) was 6.4°C to 8.6°C, for PC and TP it was 22°C-26°C. Longest possible transport time of EC was up to 30 min at 37°C (worst case scenario).
Conclusion
Transport by PTS did not cause any impairment or loss of product quality. The temperature in the PTS-case during transport of PC and TP complied with the specifications defined in the guideline of hemotherapy. The required temperature for EC of 2-10°C was achieved with limited transport duration of 30 min.
The prospective transport validation of blood products as platelet and erythrocyte concentrates and therapeutical plasma with the PTS was completed successfully.
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