Red cell freezing by the American National Red Cross

Red cells, frozen in the presence of glycerol, can be stored for years at -80C with excellent post-thaw recovery and in vivo survival. In addition to the benefits of long-term storage, the extensive washing associated with deglycerolizing removes essentially all platelets, plasma, microaggregates of cells and cell debris and there is some evidence of a reduction in the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis. The majority of the white cells are lost during the processing. Three deglycerolizing methods, based on the Haemonetics Cell Washer, the IBM Cell Processor and the Fenwal Elutramatic, have been evaluated and data on comparative performance and costs are provided. The experience of the Red Cross Blood Program in processing over 90,000 units of frozen red cells is summarized.