Status Report on Red Blood Cell Freezing: Biochemical Modification and Freeze-Preservation in the Original Polyvinyl Chloride Plastic Collection Bag,

Recently the Naval Blood Research Laboratory has been freezing red blood cells in a collection system which uses either a triple or a quadruple bag setup. Blood collection and red blood cell biochemical modification and freeze-preservation can be accomplished with this system. For the past 6 years the laboratory has been biochemically modifying liquid-stored red blood cells to increase their 2,3 DPG and ATP levels and thus improve the oxygen transport function of the preserved red blood cells upon infusion. Biochemically modified red blood cells, or rejuvenated red blood cells as they are sometimes referred to, can be freeze-preserved or not as the situation demands. Red blood cells that have exceeded their mandatory shelf-life have been biochemically modified with a solution of pyruvate, inosine, glucose, phosphate, and adenine. The stored red blood cells are incubated with the rejuvenation solution for 1 hour at 37 C. Biochemically modified red blood cells must be washed before transfusion whether or not they have been frozen to remove the additives used in the solution. This report describes a new blood collection system. The cost of processing can be reduced at least 50 the storage capacity in the -80 C mechanical refrigerator can be doubled, and the potential for contamination of the blood product is reduced. Biochemically modified freeze-preserved red blood cells have been used successfully in a number of important clinical situations.