Hi everyone! My name is Mich and I’m a consultant conducting research on FFP and its uses. I’ve actually learned a lot lurking these forums, but still have questions I hope you all could answer. I am mainly interested in issues regarding the distribution and thawing of FFP. If you could answer one or two of these questions, I’d be so grateful! Thanks!! 1. Basic info about what FFP is, what it is used for. 2. Where do hospitals get their FFP from? I understand that many hospitals have blood banks, but is blood also fractionated there, or are private plasma fractionators (such as BioLife, BioMat, etc) also a major source of FFP for hospitals? 3. I’ve seen that FFP is mainly used in trauma centers/surgery units, are there any other departments in hospitals that are active in thawing and using the product? 4. About how many thawing systems are in place in each department that uses them? 5. What are some of the major thawer brands used? I’ve seen people list Helmer, Cytotherm, Boekel, Plasmatherm, Sahara-III, and the ArkBio microwave as some of their favorite thawing systems. What are some pros/cons for the thawing system you use? 6. What are the sizes of the bags used in the thawers? (Are there standard sizes or do they vary a lot?) 7. Last question! Are there any needs regarding FFP thawing systems? (eg. Quantity a machine can thaw, size, issues regarding frequency of use, or any other issues you have with your current thawing system you wish could be improved on.)
