Bacterial culture of platelets increases patient safety and extends the shelf life of the products
Blood Service will start bacterial culture of all platelet products on 1.4.2025. The introduction of this procedure will improve the microbial safety of platelet products and thereby patient safety. The procedure can also extend the shelf life of platelet products from five to seven days.
Platelet products are challenging to store due to their short shelf life. The extended shelf life increases flexibility both in blood product logistics and inventory management. For example, inventory management of platelet products becomes easier during holidays.
Apheresis platelets still have a shelf life of five days
The change does not apply to apheresis platelet products donated mechanically. The shelf life of apheresis platelet products is still five days, as apheresis products are often intended for specific patients and delivered urgently.
The change reduces waste
Expanding the culture is also a responsible action.
“The need to introduce bacterial culture is based on improving blood product and patient safety. It also allows for improving the availability of platelet products, reducing waste, and rationalizing logistics even further,” says Johanna Nystedt, head of blood products at Blood Service.
“Extending the shelf life of platelet products has been a permanent wish of our hospital customers. With the introduction of the method, we can offer new tools for inventory and availability management to both our customers and ourselves and thereby utilizing the donated gift in the best possible way,” says Nystedt.
