title: Complete nationwide survey on umbilical cord blood freezing bag breakage in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although umbilical cord blood (UCB) has now become a common stem cell source, UCB bag breakage is a known risk in UCB transplantation (UCBT). This survey provides the first comprehensive data on the frequency and causes of UCB bag breakage in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data regarding UCB bag breakage from all causes, identified between April 1, 2010, and September 3, 2013, were collected from all transplant centers registered for UCBT (209 hospitals) and all public cord blood banks (CBBs) (8 CBBs) in Japan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen incidents of UCB bag breakage at CBBs were confirmed, none of which resulted in bags being shipped to transplant centers. From among 3836 UCBT, 16 incidents (0.4%) of UCB bag breakage were confirmed at transplant centers. Although all these bags were used for transplantation, no direct health hazard was reported. The major cause of UCB bag breakage confirmed at transplant centers was considered to be external force (75%). In addition, 11 incidents of unexplained UCB bag breakage at sealing between compartments were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UCB bag breakage was confirmed at both CBBs and transplant centers. UCB bags should be handled with particular care and attention.
authors.affiliation: Office for Transplantation Medicine, Health Service Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: n-3104@tf7.so-net.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
authors.affiliation: Office for Transplantation Medicine, Health Service Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izumi
mesh_terms: D001771:Blood Banks; D003625:Data Collection; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000637:transplantation*; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan
keywords: cord blood bank; cord blood transplantation; nationwide survey; umbilical cord blood bag breakage