Blood, Transfusion and Tissue

The Transfusion Service maintains an inventory of blood components (red cell units, platelet units, plasma units and cryoprecipitate units) sufficient to meet the needs of patients. A highly regulated environment, the service stores blood components according to federal regulation and documents the receipt, storage, issue and final destination for each blood component. Pre-transfusion modification of some components, including on-site blood component irradiation, requires registration and inspection as a manufacturing site with the FDA. The Transfusion Service is accredited by the AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks. The laboratory performs pre-transfusion testing by both manual and automated methods depending on urgency of need. Analysis of immune hemolytic anemia is available. An active quality assurance program is in place for compliance with AABB Standards and regulatory current good manufacturing practices. Transfusion adverse outcomes are documented and reported to the hospital Transfusion Committee and appropriate agencies.

The Implantable Tissue Service maintains an inventory of implantable, non-cellular, biological tissues needed for orthopedic, plastic, cardiac, and neurosurgery operations. The service also stores some autologous tissues for specific short-term needs. The lot number, receipt, storage, issue and final implantation are documented for all products. The quality assurance program maintains compliance with regulatory good tissue practices and Joint Commission requirements. Any adverse outcomes are reported to the hospital Surgical Services New Technology and Products Committee, and appropriate agencies.