Frozen-thawed red cells--standard article for hospital use?

The freezing and storing of glycerol protected red cells allows the present 20---40 day limitation of red cell storage to be indefinitely lengthened. Although frozen thawed cells are more expensive to prepare than ordinary packed cells, the longer shelf-life of the red cells, the reduced risk of hepatitis transmission, and the reduction of immunization against leuko- and thrombocytes, are all advantages which out-weighed this additional cost. To effect an increase in their use, frozen thawed cells could be distributed from central blood banks to hospitals were they would be stored until needed for transfusion. Thawing and washing would necessarily be done by the hospital blood bank personnel.