Transfusion platelets can be stored for longer

2003/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

A group of hematologists has developed platelet cooling without losing functionality. In this way, platelets collected for transfusions remain longer and the risk of infection is reduced.

Currently, platelets are stored at room temperature. If they cool before, they are removed from the blood in the liver. In fact, the platelets, once cooled, appear a certain sugar molecule that the liver cells know.

To cover the sugar that appears on the surface of the platelets, the solution of uridine, the galactose of diphosphate, has been added. Thus, the liver cells do not know it, and the platelets can remain in the blood.