Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia.

Intrauterine use of hyperconcentrated platelet concentrates collected with Trima Accel in a case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

Ringwald J, Schroth M, Faschingbauer F, Strobel J, Strasser E, Schild RL, Goecke TW

Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostaseology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 12, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. Juergen.Ringwald@trans.imed.uni-erlangen.de

BACKGROUND: Due to the threat of serious or fatal bleedings, fetuses with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) may need intrauterine platelet (PLT) transfusions. To prevent a volume overload or an ABO minor mismatch, standard PLT concentrates need to be washed to increase the PLT concentration and to reduce the plasma content. Hyperconcentrated single-donor PLT concentrates (HCPs) are a therapeutic alternative. The first case of NAIT successfully treated with HCPs collected with the Trima Accel (TA; Gambro BCT) is reported. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old woman with a history of NAIT in the preceding pregnancy underwent cordocentesis three times during her third pregnancy (30th, 31st, and 32nd weeks of gestation). NAIT was confirmed by marked fetal thrombocytopenia, a maternal anti-human PLT antigen (HPA)-1a-immunoglobulin G (titer 1:128), and the appropriate HPA genotype of the fetus and the parents. On each cordocentesis procedure, a distinct volume of a HPA-1a-negative HCP with a PLT concentration of 3 x 10(6) PLTs per microL was transfused resulting in high corrected count increments after 2 hours. The HCPs were transfused within 10 hours after collection. One day after the last cordocentesis procedure, a cesarean section was performed. The newborn did not show any bleeding signs, and the PLT count remained on normal levels and no further PLT transfusions were needed. CONCLUSION: HCPs collected with TA are a useful alternative to washed standard PLT concentrates without the need for further manipulation of the product after collection. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed, however, to make definite recommendations for the shelf life of these HCP.

Published 27 July 2007 in Transfusion, 47(8): 1488-93.
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