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'Clumpy' platelet products

A Quality Assurance Specialist located at a Blood Center in a Rocky Mountain state reports that they have recently experienced a spike in 'clumpy' platelet products. Almost 10% of the platelet pheresis products collected in January 2008 were clumpy and subsequently discarded. They usually average around 1-2%. The numbers of products discarded for 'clumpiness' have continued to be high in February and March 2008. They are currently looking into the possible causes for this spike in clumpy platelets, including how their production staff determines that a product as clumpy. After reviewing the procedure that their production uses, the inquiring colleague reports having found that there is little instruction as to what should be called clumpy. The SOP reads: "Clumpy -- Product contains more than 6 tiny or 3 large aggregates." The inquiring colleague is curious to know how other blood centers define 'clumpy platelets' and upon what literature the definition is based. If any other blood centers have experienced 'clumpy' platelets, how was this problem resolved?

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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator

W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Assistant Editor & Moderator
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Posted: March 18, 2008

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