A simplified method for quality control of deglycerolized erythrocytes

Quality control to detect inadequately deglycerolized red blood cells can be easily and inexpensively accomplished by suspending the deglycerolized cells in either recipient serum or normal saline in the same way in which the routine crossmatch is performed. In vitro hemolysis is readily and consistently apparent when the residual glycerol exceeds either 2.4% (in saline) or 2.5% (in serum). In contrast to generally held beliefs, the in vivo 24-hour survival of red blood cells with a residual glycerol concentration of up to 2.7% was demonstrated to be 76% of greater, a level which is well above what is usually accepted as adequate.