PREPARATION AND STORAGE IN PLASMA-LYTE-A OF PLATELETS COLLECTED WITH THE CELL SEPARATOR CS3000-PLUS EQUIPPED WITH THE PLT30-SEPARATION AND TNX6 COLLECTION CHAMBERS

The last five years have been characterized by the presentation of new cell separators the main task of which is the collection of high yield-high qualify platelets. The CS3000 is an old apparatus which has undergone rejuvenation to sustain the assault of its new competitors. The CS3000 Plus Omnix system is the latest version to be offered along wth a combination of TNX-6 separation/PLT30 collection chambers for optimal platelet collection. In this paper we present our results with this apparatus and configuration after its adaptation to the collection and storage of platelets in a non-plasma medium, the Baxter Plasma-Lyte A. After separation the platelet product (PC) was left in the collection chamber and resuspended with 200 ml of Plasma-Lyte A instead of being resuspended in autologous plasma as usual. Plasma was collected in a separate bag (400-450 ml) for transfusion or fractionation purposes. PC qualify was assessed by evaluating the platelet yield (4.17 +/- 1.8 x 10(11)), and the WBC contamination (4.8 +/- 2.6 x 10(5)). The presence of platelet aggregates (platelet count after aggregate fixation with formalin/platelet count after disaggregation in EDTA), the aggregation induced by ADP, collagen and ristocetin, the hypotonic shock response and the stability of membrane glycoproteins (CD 62 - 63 - 36 - 42b - 51) were measured in the preapheresis samples and in the PC immediately after, 24 and 72 hours after collection. These results were totally satisfactory as was the post-transfusion survival measured as corrected count increment in 10 transfusions to non refractory patients. If is concluded that the preparation and storage in Plasma-Lyte A of platelets collected with the CS3000 Plus-Omnix apparatus with the TNX6-PLT30 configuration is not only feasible but advisable.