[Stem cell pheresis and deep temperature preservation--a problem of transfusion medicine?]

In Germany, Transfusion Medicine belongs to various medical disciplines. We would like to demonstrate our model of interdisciplinary collaboration in stem cell transplantation. Since 1989 we performed 339 leukaphereses in 53 patients. On average we got 1.4 x 10(8) MNC/kg body weight from one single apheresis procedure. To observe graft quality we measured the content of CD34-positive cells and the amount of CFU-GM. Despite diagnosis and therapeutical regimen the content of CD34+ cells was found to be 3.3% (0-20). The proliferation was 21.7 GM-CFU per 1 x 10(5) MNC seeded (0-393). The results of the first 17 transplantations showed a fast haematological recovery (WBS 1.0 Gpt/l after 9 days Plt 20 Gpt/l after 11 days). Close collaboration of Transfusion Medicine and Haematology leads to optimization of stem cell transplantation.