Separation of buffy coat using the top and bottom drainage system: reduction of red blood cell loss.
We studied the effect of automated separation of the buffy coat in a top and bottom "drainage system" using a standard and a modified backplate.  The use of the modified method results in reduction of the volume (36 +/-3 mL vs 49 +/-2 mL, P less than 0.001) and the red blood cell content (8 +/- 1% vs 15 +/- 2%, P less than 0.001) of the buffy coat, but also increases the leukocyte content (27 +/- 11% vs 17 +/- 11%, P less than 0.001) of the red cell concentrate.  The leukocyte content of the red cell concentrate obtained with the modified method compares well with the reported results of manual buffy coat removal.  Therefore the same advantages can be expected.
Muylle
L
L
Blood Transfusion Center Antwerpen, The Belgian Red Cross.
Eerens
D
D
Van Breedam
B
B
D001782:Blood Donors; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D001810:Blood Volume; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count