How Blood Storage has Impacted the World
25 August 2015
In our modern age, it is almost inconceivable to think of a world without a readily available supply of blood. Approximately 3.34 million blood products are transfused each year in the UK and many more are used in research. Without storage solutions this would be a logistic impossibility.
It was first discovered that the useable life of blood could be extended with refrigeration in WWI. In the same period, research had also revealed that sodium citrate could be used as a medium to prevent blood clotting outside the body.
Combined, these advancements would eventually mark the end of anastomosis or direct transfusion from donor to recipient, a technique which presented both practical considerations and dangers. They would also make blood more readily available to patients, particularly in emergency situations.
Blood Banks
The first blood bank was set up in the British camps soon after the two key discoveries by the American Captain Oswald Robertson. Using citrate he was able to store blood for up to 14 days. This was to pave the way for a more flexible usage of blood.
In 1921, the first voluntary blood service was born when members of the British Red Cross gave blood at Kings College Hospital in London. However, the first official blood banks did not arrive until 1936 and 1937 in the US and the Britain.
By the 1930s blood plasma and red blood cells could be separated and could be stored for longer.
The outbreak of the second war was to accelerate the introduction of new blood banks and transfusion centres. Meanwhile, thousands of civilians donated blood to help treat the wounded.
Today, a complex storage and distribution operation is in place behind the scenes to ensure that the medical and research industries are kept supplied with blood and blood products.
Modern blood product storage is subject to tight regulations and requires highly advanced laboratory freezers. Stored packed red blood cells (StRBC or pRBC), the most commonly transfused blood product can be stored for 42 days or 6 weeks.
Lorne Laboratories and Blood Storage
Lorne’s Blood Banks and Plasma-Freezers have been designed for optimal preservation of blood products and are fully compliant with all national and international requirements.
All models include battery back up for mains power failure and state of the art temperature regulation with alarm systems for any deviations. Security is also a key consideration with models including electric digital key locks with password-controlled access.
Blood storage equipment is vital for the smooth operation of medical and research services. Thanks to technical advancements, large quantities of blood products can be stored safely and securely, ready for distribution when required. One thing is certain, without blood storage, many of the medical techniques we benefit from today would not be possible.
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