‘I’m calling on behalf of a doctor who needs to order cryoprecipitate for their patient. Please explain how to order and transfuse cryoprecipitate products.’
Cryoprecipitate (also known as ‘cryo’) is a blood product obtained by thawing fresh frozen plasma, collecting the clotting protein-rich, insoluble precipitate, and refreezing it for storage. It is used in a variety of clinical settings, such as treating bleeding disorders, trauma, DIC or massive bleeding.
Cryoprecipitate can be ordered from the Blood Bank by completing the blood request form and submitting it together with the patient’s crossmatch blood sample. If the patient has received blood products in the last six months, a patient sample is not necessary, as plasma products do not contain red cells and the risk of incompatibility is low. Cryoprecipitate donations are not pooled according to blood group and can be safely issued across blood types.
Crossmatch tubes are available from the Blood Bank on request. The minimum ordering quantity is 20 x K2EDTA 6ml tubes at R 127.74 (2026 price for the private sector) and R 89.36 (2025 price for the state sector). The blood sample must be less than 24 hours old upon receipt at the Blood Bank and will remain valid for 48 hours from the time of sample withdrawal.
The blood product request form is provided free of charge from the Blood Bank and must be completed in full. Please clearly state the product name, the quantity required, and the date/time the product(s) will be collected from the Blood Bank. For medical aid-funded patients, WCBS will submit the claim to the medical aid scheme for reimbursement, so the patient’s details should be completed on the request form.
A single unit of cryoprecipitate has a Factor VIII concentration of ≥ 80 IU, fibrinogen ≥ 12mg/ml, and a volume of 9-11ml, at R 1,543.54 (2026 price for the private sector) and R 1,056.41 (2025 price for the state sector). Cryoprecipitate is available in pre-pools of five individual units, with a Factor VIII concentration of ≥ 400 IU/pool, fibrinogen ≥ 750mg/pool, and a volume of approximately 50ml, priced pro rata based on a single unit of cryoprecipitate. Pooled units are more commonly used to treat adult patients. The adult therapeutic dose is two pooled units, or one single unit per 5-10kg body weight, depending on the degree of fibrinogen deficiency. Paediatric dosing is 5-10mL/kg.
Excerpt from the WCBS blood request form:
The cryoprecipitate units are thawed and issued at room temperature from the Blood Bank, so can typically be transfused over 15-30 minutes for single units or 30-60 minutes for pooled units. The transfusion of a unit of cryoprecipitate must be completed within six hours after spiking the pack. A standard blood-recipient set or Y-type giving set should be used.
For more information about ordering and administering cryoprecipitate, contact your closest Blood Bank.
