Single-needle thrombo-cytapheresis with the Fresenius AS 104.
BACKGROUND
The Fresenius AS 104 cell separator has recently met some popularity in European apheresis units for the quality of the platelets obtained with the totally automated double-needle procedure.


METHODS
Taking advantage of the machine's flexibility we have developed a new automated procedure for single-needle thrombocytapheresis (SNP). So far 61 SNP were carried out. From donors having a platelet precount of 2.74 x 10(5) an average of 3.8 x 10(11) cells were collected by processing 2.5 liters of blood in a run time of 83 min.


CONCLUSIONS
The leukocyte and erythrocyte contaminations were 2.7 x 10(7) and 3.5 x 10(7), respectively. Only 2 products did contain less than 3.5 x 10(11) platelets, and 7 procedures were complicated by minor signs of hypocalcemia. With minor modifications this SNP is presently offered on a routine basis to our platelet donors.
Centro Trasfusionale, Ospedale San Martino, Genova, Italia.
M
M
Valbonesi
R
R
Frisoni
L
L
Malfanti
G
G
Florio
P
P
Carlier
M
M
Ruzzenenti
D000328:Adult; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D003201:Computers; D004867:Equipment Design; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D010976:Platelet Count; D010983:Plateletpheresis / Q000295:instrumentation*