2018 AM On-Demand: SAM SESSION: MN1-08-SS-S-2018: Bacterial Mitigation Strategies for Platelet Concentrates: The Transfusion Service Perspective

Intended Audience: Transfusion Safety Officer, Technologist, Supervisor, Student (MD, MT, SBB), Residents/Fellow, Physician, Nurse, Medical Director, Manager, Director
Teaching Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives:

Discuss the use of point-of-release testing to enhance the safety of platelet transfusion at a hospital-based transfusion service
Summarize the changes seen in platelet transfusion patterns and outdate rates following implementation of a 7 day platelet program
Discuss the rationale and challenges of implementing a high volume, delayed platelet unit sampling culture method, as a bacterial mitigation strategy
Discuss the impact of pathogen reduction implementation on patient component utilization, incidence of platelet transfusion reactions and hospital finances
Discuss the logistics of transfusion service management of a dual inventory of conventional and pathogen-reduced platelets
Description: There is increasing interest regarding bacterial mitigation strategies. While the risk of bacterial contamination of platelet concentrates is small, it is not zero. Indeed, the presence of undetected bacterial contamination in a unit of platelet concentrate can be fatal. There are three technologies that are viewed as being able to better detect and/or prevent transfusion of a bacterially contaminated unit of platelets than the simple culture procedure, currently being performed. This workshop will compare and contrast the three technologies namely: point of release testing, a high-volume, delayed-culture technique and pathogen reduction. Each technology has its own infrastructural, human resource and hardware/software requirements. The speakers will address the pros and cons of each mitigation methodology as part of the search to provide the safest unit of platelet concentrate for our patients. This session will focus on the benefits, concerns and issues these strategies pose for Transfusion Services.