title: Microaggregate counts in frozen-preserved erythrocytes: effects of washing in three blood processors and filtration.
abstract: Since microaggregates have been implicated in posttransfusion pulmonary insufficiency, their elimination has become an active concern in blood transfusion. Various types of filters, as well as frozen-preserved erythrocytes, have been used to provide blood relatively low in microaggregates. We have counted particles in frozen-stored blood before deglycerolization, after washing in each of three cell processing systems, and after filtration through a 40-micrometer filter. Washing frozen erythrocytes reduced the total particle counts by an average of 89%. Slight differences were found among the three blood processors with respect to particle removal. Passing washed blood through a 40-micrometer filter did not result in significant further reduction in particle counts. Hence, the use of such filters in a frozen-preserved blood system is not warranted.
mesh_terms: D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D005374:Filtration; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D010316:Particle Size