I am looking for large transport coolers to send blood to the operating room for liver transplants and massive transfusions. I can not find the large ISC containers..are they no longer being made? Does anyone know of a good substitue?

We use large igloo coolers with a plastic CD crate. It has just enough room to put ice packs on each end, and blood goes into the crate. We also include a thermometer bag and temperature monitors on each unit.

We just purchased a number of room temp and fridge temp coolers from Thermosafe. They are easy to clean and come in various sizes. They use phase change materials for insulation.

http://www.greenboxsystems.com/

We also use Thermosafe - this model has a telscoping handle and wheels - both OR staff and BB like them. Comes with baskets for the blood bags. When we validated, we found 3 frozen polar paks plus 2 refrigerated gel packs kept the interior <6C for 8 hours. Polar paks and gels come with them. Durable - we've had ours 3 years.

http://www.thermosafe.com/model/930.html?Pr10=Science

Our blood bank has some of these large "cubes" on hand to use in the event our refrigerators go down. They're BIG and hold temp for a LONG time........

http://www.mnthermalscience.com/Products/Products_CredoSolutionFinder.aspx

Thanks for all the replies. We just ordered a Thermosafe model 930 to try out. We also ordered an EvaKool IceMate Wheelie Model IM050-W. We will validate each of them and take it from there. We are hoping the IceMate works out so we can use them for the liver transplants when they want 10 red cells and 10 plasma at a time. We have two sizes now, four large that can hold the 10 + 10 and twenty smaller ones that can hold five units. They are getting old so we would like to start replacing them as the hinges and latch mechanisms fail.

Here is the link to the IceMate:

http://www.cooler-store.com/evakool_icemate_wheelie_polyethylene_ice_box_im050_w_26375_prd1.htm

If we can't find something that holds 10 + 10 the OR is going to start asking for a refrigerator again. I don't want to go there!

Our OR wouldn't let us use any with a fabric covering because of cleaning issues. We found some smooth, hard ones from Market Lab with much better closers than the old Igloos we used to use. They have 2 sizes, but I'm not sure they'll hold 10 units.

Does anyone know a source for phase change coolant blocks that can used in place of the blue ice blocks?

The irony of this thread - transport coolers in hot topics lol

The irony of this thread - transport coolers in hot topics lol

Attention Clifff....can we have a category called "Cold Cases"?

Attention Clifff....can we have a category called "Cold Cases"?

For auto-anti-I's no doubt!

Do you pack the 10 RBC and the 10 FFP right together in the same cooler? If so, do you worry that the FFP will have warmed above the proper storage temp for the RBCs and will alter their temp? I am sure that our FFP often comes out of the thawer warmer than 6C so I worry about packing it in coolers with RBCs.

Try Thermosafe. We use them for Trauma, or to transport more than one RBC or Plasma.

I would keep FFP and RBC separate

Do you pack the 10 RBC and the 10 FFP right together in the same cooler? If so, do you worry that the FFP will have warmed above the proper storage temp for the RBCs and will alter their temp? I am sure that our FFP often comes out of the thawer warmer than 6C so I worry about packing it in coolers with RBCs.

We keep 10 ahead thawing plasma for these cases so the plasma has been in the fridge for a while prior to packing. When things get really bad, the plasma is used at a 2:1 ratio to red cells so it is the first thing they use and yes, at those time we often send a separate cooler with the plasma.