Leucocyte reduced, fresh whole blood is the product of choice for an exchange transfusion.
Previously, whole blood units less than three days old would be selected for exchange transfusions and filtered onsite at the Blood Bank just prior to issue. These products have an expiry time of 24 hours (stored at 1 oC to 6 oC) due to the fact that the filtering process takes place at the Blood Bank. Effective 3 December 2024, WCBS will be supplying Blood Banks with fresh whole blood (less than five days old) that has been pre-filtered at our Headquarter processing site. These units have an expiry time of 21 days (stored at 1 oC to 6 oC) due to the filtering process taking place in a sterile environment under laminar flow.
In the event that there is no stock of the pre-filtered products, the Blood Bank will revert to the process of selecting whole blood less than three days old and filtering this immediately onsite.
For information about clinical indications for whole blood exchange transfusion, red cell exchange transfusion, plasma exchange transfusion, neonate exchange transfusion and warming blood for exchange transfusions, please see the Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Blood and Blood Products in South Africa, 6th Edition.
For exchange transfusion-related queries, contact your closest Blood Bank.
