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Blood transportation for medical retrieval services
Peter H Sharley1, Ian Williams, Sophia Hague
1Intensive Care Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace Adelaide, South Australia, 5000. psharley@mail.rah.sa.gov.au
Introduction:
Medical retrieval services resuscitate and retrieve the critically ill and injured. Lifesaving treatment includes the transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs). To ensure patient safety and maximum therapeutic benefit for the patient, the transportation of RBCs for transfusion must occur under optimal conditions. Blood shippers currently in use in Australia are principally polystyrene containers, often selected for low cost, although performance validation is becoming increasingly important. The quality of the blood to the consumer may be compromised by the use of inappropriate shippers and transport systems.
Methods:
A prototype of a user-friendly soft pack blood shipper was developed and tested in various climatic conditions over 24 hour periods with the RBC temperature monitored.
Results:
The blood shipper was validated to maintain blood temperature within an acceptable range (2 degrees to 10 degrees C (35.6 degrees-50 degrees F) for up to 16 hours during transport of ambient temperatures ranging from 8 degrees to 35 degrees C. (46.4 degrees-95 degrees F).
Conclusion:
The blood shipper provides adequate storage for blood products under a range of climatic conditions and time periods adequate for most retrieval purposes. This allows optimal blood transport system for the medical retrieval service, helping to ensure maximum patient safety and therapeutic benefit from transfusion. The validated blood shipper is also important to blood banks and blood consumers for nonretrieval blood transportation.