A hollow-fibre column system to effectively prepare washed platelets.

Background And Objectives: We developed a hollow-fibre column system specifically adapted to prepare washed platelet concentrates (WPCs). This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the hollow-fibre column system for preparing WPCs.

Materials And Methods: First, the percentages of platelet (PLT) recovery and remaining plasma proteins were calculated by determining the PLT count, volume and plasma protein levels in both the prewash and postwash. Secondly, washed PLTs and unwashed control PLTs were stored for 5 days, and the changes during this 5-day storage of in vitro PLT characteristics were determined.

Results: The hollow-fibre column system effectively removed >98% of plasma in platelet concentrates (PCs), and the PLT recovery was 97% on an average. The CD62P-expression level on washed PLTs immediately after washing was approximately twofold higher than that on prewashed PLTs as well as on PLTs washed via manual methods or cell washing devices. Until day 5 during storage, PLT aggregability, hypotonic shock response and swirling scores of washed PLTs were not significantly different from those of the control PCs.

Conclusion: Our novel hollow-fibre column system proved valuable in preparing washed PLTs with <2% of residual plasma proteins and high recovery of PLTs.