What is the shelf life of various components?

Even in one’s own body, it gets replaced in about 120 days .

  • RBCs can be stored up to 42 days at 2 - 6 C,
  • Platelets for 5 days at 20 - 24 C with constant agitation
  • Plasma for one year at less than - 30 C.
.
When stored as whole blood , the clotting factors in the plasma lose their efficacy in 4 hours and the platelets lose their function after 24 hours.

.
It is now discouraged the use of whole blood in order to prevent wastage of these blood components.

.
Everyone and anyone may need the blood, but not all people qualify to donate.

0 comments: