Technical Note: Use of a Novel Bacterial Culture Sampling Device for Pooled Whole Blood Platelets

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Microbiology
• Medical Device Innovation

Background:

• Transfusion-associated sepsis is a critical risk following platelet transfusions.
• Current methods face challenges due to the short shelf-life of pooled platelets, often delaying culture results past transfusion.
• The need for improved safety measures in platelet transfusion is paramount.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a novel needleless closed system device for culturing whole blood-derived pooled platelets.
• To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination in transfused platelets.
• To enable timely detection of contamination before platelet pooling and release.

Main Methods:

• A customized needleless device was developed for sterile platelet sampling, preventing cross-contamination.
• Platelet aliquots were cultured for aerobic organisms for 24 hours.
• Platelets were released for transfusion after 12 hours of negative culture results.

Main Results:

• Over two years, 5,741 platelet units were cultured using the device, with only 24 (0.4%) initial positive results.
• Identified contaminants included 11 Staphylococcus and 9 Bacillus species.
• No confirmed positive cultures were found, and no clinical impact was observed in the single patient who received a unit initially flagged as positive.

Conclusions:

• The needleless closed system device effectively enables pre-pooling sampling of platelets.
• This method allows for transfusion of culture-negative units after a 12-hour incubation period.
• The implemented system significantly reduces the transfusion of bacterially contaminated platelet products.