Extending the expiration date of platelet products

A colleague in Kentucky reports that their pathologist occasionally authorizes the expiration of a plateletpheresis product beyond when the product would normally be outdated. She wonders if other institutions have experience with extending the expiration date of plateletpheresis units, and if so, under what circumstances will the expiration date be changed? If the expiration date is changed, for how long is it extended (8 hrs, 12 hours, 24 hours)?

The following comments have been received.

ADDENDA Nov. 15, 2007

1. A colleague in Indiana reports that his transfusion service's medical Director has occasionally, albeit rarely, allowed the lab to dispense for transfusion an apheresis platelet product beyond its expiration date. He adds that the products permitted to be used after the original expiration date almost always have a special attribute such as being HLA matched, and they are typically infused before noon after the expiration date to a very ill patient who cannot wait long enough for another product to be procured. These situations are documented as a Deviation from SOP and signed by the medical director after a review of the situation. Their policies also permit extension of product expiration date during severe product shortages, but he does not recall an incident where they used that justification. He wants to point out that they have never allowed an outdated unit to be issued solely to save money or when another suitable in-date product could be found.

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