title: [Utility of a pneumatic system to transport erythrocyte concentrates: pilot study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transport systems of erythrocyte concentrates should be safe and modern. In this paper we analyzed the safety of one pneumatic system to transport erythrocyte concentrates from blood transfusion service to post-surgical therapy service.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 50 erythrocyte concentrates; a sample of 1.5 mL of blood was drawn previously and after delivering the concentrated erythrocyte. The samples were placed in glass tubes to measure temperature, hemoglobin, hematocrit and extracellular potassium concentration. The average and range as univariate analysis and the Mann-Whitney U test as a bivariate analysis were done for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical differences were not observed in the parameters measured. The temperature was not modified by the pneumatic delivery system. The data indicated no significant differences (p > 0.05) pre and post delivered samples in temperature, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit level or extracellular potassium concentration. The estimated travel time for each sample was 22.88 seconds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transport of erythrocyte concentrates through pneumatic delivery system did not change temperature conditions according to the current regulation. Indeed, the data did not show evidence that the cellular suspension underwent a spontaneous cellular lysis by sending erythrocyte concentrates through a pneumatic delivery system.
authors.affiliation: División de Auxiliares de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento, Hospital de Cardiología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Distrito Federal, México. patricia.castillot@live.com.
authors.forename: Noemí Patricia
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Castillo-Torres
authors.forename: Surid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Virgen-Díaz
authors.forename: Daira L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: León-Olvera
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hernández-Pérez
authors.forename: Moisés C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Calderón-Abbo
mesh_terms: D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Erythrocyte transfusion; Hematocrit; Hemoglobins; Potassium