Loss of red cell mass in a plasmapheresis machine: effect of rinsing the disposable tubing with normal saline and reinfusion.

The aim of this study was to determine the loss of red cell mass during a plasma donation. If the donor undergoes plasmapheresis 45 times within one year without rinsing the tubing system and reinfusing this normal saline into the donor at the end of the donation, the result is a loss of red cell mass of 11.01 ml per donation. This result translates into an accumulated loss of red cell mass of up to 495.63 ml per year. The loss of blood induced by plasma donations can be reduced to 58.01 ml per year, if the disposable tubing is rinsed with normal saline and reinfused into the donor at the end of each plasma donation.