title: Cryopreserved packed red blood cells in surgical patients: past, present, and future.
abstract: Since the advent of anticoagulation and component storage of human blood products, allogeneic red blood cell transfusion has been one of the most common practices in modern medicine. Efforts to reduce the biochemical effects of storage, collectively known as the red blood cell storage lesion, and prolong the storage duration have led to numerous advancements in erythrocyte storage solutions. Cryopreservation and frozen storage of red blood cells in glycerol have been successfully utilised by many civilian and military institutions worldwide. Through progressive improvements in liquid storage of erythrocytes in novel storage solutions, the logistical need for cryopreserved red blood cells in the civilian setting has diminished. A growing body of current literature is focused on the clinical consequences of packed red blood cell age. Modern cryopreservation techniques show promise as a cost-effective method to ameliorate the negative effect of the red blood cell storage lesion, while meeting the technical and logistical needs of both civilian and military medicine. This review outlines the history of red blood cell cryopreservation, the clinical impact of red cell storage, and highlights the current literature on frozen blood and its impact on modern transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Military Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Military Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Military Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoehn
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Military Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jernigan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Military Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pritts
mesh_terms: D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006801:Humans