Hypothermic storage of leukoreduced red blood cells for greater than 21 days is a safe alternative to irradiation.

Background: Irradiation of red blood cells (RBCs) inactivates residual donor T lymphocytes to prevent transfusion-associated graft-vs-host disease (TA-GVHD) but can have adverse effects on recipients and inventory management. Reported incidence of TA-GVHD is lower when leukoreduced RBCs and older blood products are transfused; therefore, the impact of leukoreduction and storage was evaluated as an alternative prevention strategy.

Study Design And Methods: Effectiveness of leukoreduction filters on white blood cell (WBC) proliferation was evaluated by filtering buffy coat (BC) products and isolating residual WBCs.

Failure of prophylactic intravenous immunoglobulin to prevent sensitization to cryopreserved allograft tissue used in congenital cardiac surgery.

Objective: Cryopreserved allograft tissue used in the Norwood procedure for infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome causes profound immunologic sensitization, which may complicate future transplantation. Intravenous immunoglobulin has been shown to reduce sensitization after it has developed, allowing successful transplantation. The purpose of this pilot trial was to determine whether intravenous immunoglobulin given before and after the procedure could prevent sensitization to cryopreserved allograft patches used in the initial repair of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.