A novel technique for preparing improved buffy coat platelet concentrates.

We evaluated in vitro platelet function of platelet concentrates stored at 22 C for 5 days prepared either by the conventional pelleting procedure or platelet concentrates prepared from buffy coats by utilizing a novel bucket designed to support a suspended bag. For platelet concentrates from buffy coat, whole blood was centrifuged at 3,000 x g for 13 min, with all but 30cc of the cell poor plasma transferred to a satellite bag, followed by a second centrifugation at 170 x g for 5 min utilizing our novel centrifugation device. For pelleted platelets, whole blood was centrifuged at 2,000 x g for 3 min, platelet rich plasma removed, centrifuged, and the pellet resuspended in plasma. Leukocyte contamination in buffy coat platelet concentrates was reduced by 95% (p < 0.001) in comparison to pelleted platelets. Further, platelets from buffy coat platelet concentrates demonstrated significantly enhanced ADP-induced aggregation, increased recovery from hypotonic shock, higher morphology scores, and reduced GMP-140 expression in comparison to pelleted preparations. No differences in O2 consumption, CO2 production, pH and total ATP were observed between the two types of preparations at day 5 of storage. Our results indicate that platelet concentrates from buffy coat, prepared by a suspended storage bag centrifugation technique, are superior with respect to in vitro platelet function when compared to pelleted platelets.