NICU questions

[Mabel Adams]

Next question is on cryo for premies. We have instructions to add 10 cc of saline to a single cryo unit after thawing for a neonate. Is this common practice?

[Debbie McCaskill]

We just give type specific cryo and we do not add anything to it. If the NICU department wants to add saline, they are welcome to do this but we do not add anything!

[PaulSunV]

We give type specific leuko reduced units or the next best type final call it the Doctor's - we don't worry about Rh type as the units are leuko reduced and irradiated.

Filter is the Baxter 4C2223 Blood Component infusion set that fits our BD Luer-Lok Syringes.

Irradiated products are only good for the amount of time the product is still good after being in an open system as each of our products is irradiated just prior to transfusion.

We use a Terumo Sterile Tubing Welder as does our supplier when the need arises.

We dispense in a Syringe and each product is placed in the Syringe just prior to issuing. Platelets are not placed on rotator after being placed in Syringe.

The floor places the Syringe in a Pump.

We provide an extra 5 mls to each product dispensed for waste in the tubing, which only needs about 3 mls.

We use our sterile docker to remove enough platelets apheresis into a separtate bag to be irradiated and to be used for transfusion to baby. Oftentimes the volume removed does not reduce the volume of the original pheresis to prevent it from meeting the necessary requirements to be an adult apheresis platelet.

Cyro is given to neonates so infrequent and we only maintain A & O cryo any saline.

Paul