Increase of blood donation speed by optimizing the needle-to-tubing connection: an application of donation software.
BACKGROUND
The speed of blood donation is affected by the resistance induced by the needle and tubing during collection. To increase blood donation speed, the connection between the needle and the tubing was modified. The aim was to evaluate the effect of this modification on various donation parameters.


METHODS
Apart from the modified needle inset, the study systems were identical to reference bag systems routinely used in our centre, and only identifiable by their unique lot number. Blood collections were done at fixed sites under similar conditions using automated mixers. In total 8541 evaluable donations were performed in the reference group and 7430 in the study group. Electronically stored donation data were obtained from the mixers and used for analysis.


RESULTS
The average donation speed increased from 63 +/- 12 in the reference group to 75 +/- 15 ml/min in the study group (P < 0.001), resulting in donation times of 8.10 +/- 1.52 and 6.95 +/- 1.48 min, respectively (P < 0.001). The number of units with a donation time greater than 12 min (which cannot be used for platelet production) halved in the study group. The percentage of donations with one or more donation alarms reduced from 22.2% in the reference group to 15.3% in the study group (P < 0.001). The number of adverse events (not feeling well, fainting) during donation did not increase.


CONCLUSIONS
The modification of the needle inset resulted in a 19% increase in donation speed, more units could be used for platelet production, and fewer flow alarms were encountered, while the number of adverse donor events remained unchanged.
van der Meer
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Sanquin Blood Bank North West Region, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p.vandermeer@sanquin.nl
de Korte
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D001782:Blood Donors; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D012984:Software