Successful in vivo recovery and extended storage of additive solution (AS)-5 red blood cells after deglycerolization and resuspension in AS-3 for 15 days with an automated closed system.

Background: Previously, cryopreserved red blood cell (RBC) units derived from CPD/AS-5 whole-blood (WB) collections have been limited to 24 hours postthaw storage (1-6 degrees C).

Study Design And Methods: Sixty-four leukoreduced (LR) and 54 nonleukoreduced (NLR) AS-5 (n = 118) RBC units from 500-mL WB collections were stored for 6 days, glycerolized, frozen (-70 +/- 5 degrees C) for at least 14 days, thawed, deglycerolized, and stored (1-6 degrees C) for 15 days resuspended in AS-3, using an automated closed-system cell processor (ACP 215, Haemonetics). Frozen units were stored in either ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) bags.

Twelve-week RBC storage.

Background: Better storage can improve RBC availability and safety. Optimizing RBC ATP production and minimizing hemolysis has allowed progressively longer storage.

Study Design And Methods: In the first study, 24 units of packed CPD RBCs were pooled in groups of four, realiquoted, and added to 300 mL of one of four variants of experimental additive solution 76 (EAS-76) containing 45, 40, 35, or 30 mEq per L NaCl.