The quality of over- and undercollected blood for transfusion

Whole blood was collected in increments varying from 100 g to 600 g into plastic containers intended for 450 ml collections. In order to determine the clinical usefulness of over and undercollected bloods, red blood cell survival studies were performed after 21 and 28 days of storage and in vitro measurements were performed weekly throughout the storage period. The red blood cell survival of 21-day-old CPD bloods was acceptable if as little as 300 g of blood were collected whereas a minimum of 400 g of blood was necessary to provide normal survival after 21 days storage in ACD solution. If as much as 600 g of whole blood were collected into a standard ACD or CPD blood pack, the red blood cell survival was within normal limits after 21 days of storage. These data demonstrate the limits to which over- and undercollected units can be utilized in transfusion therapy.