Platelet Preservation

Standard refrigerated storage (at 4°C) resulted in a marked shortening of the life-span of platelets labeled with 51Cr and reinfused into the original donor. Storage at ambient, room temperature (22°C) preserved a normal platelet life-span. Platelets stored at this higher temperature should be adequate for transfusion purposes for as long as 96 hours. The use of cold temperatures should be abandoned in the preparation and storage of platelets for transfusion purposes.