Automated blood component preparation with the Opti system: three years' experience.

Removal of buffy coat from the red cell preparations reduces the content of microaggregates and leukocytes and decreases transfusion side effects. However, buffy coat removal is difficult to standardize when performed manually. An automated method using a new type of plastic container system, the Optipac, and a new type of device, the Optipress, greatly improves blood component production. An initial hard centrifugation of the original whole blood provides the best results, leaving approximately 20 ml of plasma and 0.5 x 10(9) leukocytes per unit of red cells suspended in 100 ml of an additive solution (SAG-M). Improved quality and standardization of the products, reduced technician time and better working conditions for the technician are the major advantages as compared to traditional manual technique.