Neonatal Transfusions

[Jody]

I was asked to review some new infusion sets by our nursery department. Our nursery rarely transfuses blood. When we do, we use an open system and make the small pedi bags for issue to the floor.

Can someone point me in the direction of some pediatric specific references for filter size or let me know what you are using? The only references that I can find for the appropriate filter size for the administration of blood is standard (170-260 micron) filters.

Thanks

[vilma_mt]

Check this book...you may want to purchase, it is a good addition to your hospital or blood bank library

http://books.google.com/books?id=PpKHZDjvBlcC&pg=PA327&lpg=PA327&dq=Techniques+for+Warming+Red+Blood+Cells+Packaged+in+Different+Containers+for+Neonatal.Transfusion&source=bl&ots=GGjsrJ6S1J&sig=ZbyXFGW6EjAJVeg3VKRzzyjjI_Y&hl=en&ei=xnWtS7aDJoOoswOYysTzCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Techniques%20for%20Warming%20Red%20Blood%20Cells%20Packaged%20in%20Different%20Containers%20for%20Neonatal.Transfusion&f=false

[AP44924]

For a infrequent pediatric transfusion using syringes is also helpful and makes it easy on the nursing end to transfuse. I would also recommend using a closed (sterile docking) system to make aliquots. The advantage of the syringes is that you can give filtered aliquots. Charter med manufactures a 150 micorn filter syringes, you may want to consider.