We are starting to implement a Massive Transfusion Protocol and were are trying to find a way to accept platelets back into inventory after being outside the Blood Bank for a few hours.  They would be in a cooler, but AABB says that we need to be able to validate that the units were not exposed to cooler temperatures.  As of right now we do not accept platelets back into inventory at any time, and we all know that there are not cheap. What is everyone else doing and or using to help validate the function of the platelets?

 

Thanks

Bri

We note time lapse between issue/return. Take return temp. Visual inspection. Check container closures. Hold platelet up to light source and check for "swirlies."

We got some insulated lunch bags and pack the units between room temperature gel packs that we keep on the platelet rotator.  We validated that they keep platelets at the correct temperature in both warmer and cooler environments.  We also do all of the checks that Goodchild talks about when they return.  In the 29th ed. of AABB standards, the wording for transportation temperature was changed to "As close as possible" to 20-24C.  I know the argument... that this is really storage... but at least there is some room for common sense.

Edited June 16, 201510 yr by CMCDCHI

We validated that they keep platelets at the correct temperature in both warmer and cooler environments.  

 

One place I worked at didn't validate at cooler temperatures. When the platelets had been sat on the back of the van for 6 hours in a blizzard, the platelets arrived at about 8oC! The boxes were then validated at temperature extremes as well as at room temp. It was decided that blood products would travel on the passenger seat of the van with a seatbelt on Someone suggested the footwell but with hot air blowers on this would have been interesting...

There are no cost effective disposable temperature monitors for platelets that you can stick on the units that I am aware of.  I know that Berlinger makes something that you could have custom made for the 20-24 degree range...cheapest would be about $10 each (Q-Tag, I think), so a bit pricey. 

 

I think the best option is to validate coolers for platelets - you can beef up a standard cooler with Styrofoam, room temp gel packs, etc. and then use a temperature datalogger in the cooler - preferably with an alarm.  I like the Traceable Memory-Loc ones because you can transfer the temp data on USB if needed.  I want the platelets back ASAP... CAP says something about not being agitated for up to 24 hours is acceptable, so you will want to define how long it is OK to be out of the blood bank in your SOP. 

How far are you transferring the blood products in case of MTP? If we are alerted with MTP it is from one of the surgeries or from first aid ward (acute). There are not that far away so we do not monitor the temperature. We do as goodchild wrote to us, check the time lapse and check the product. It is such a short distances (few hundred meters, 500 m max) and they (usually) don't go outside the building.