Cryoprecipitate and cryodepleted plasma - a change is coming

You may have heard there are significant changes coming for cryoprecipitate and cryodepleted plasma in the new year.

Due to the market withdrawal of a crucial consumable, and the lack of a compatible alternative, Lifeblood is unable to sustain the manufacture of the current large dose apheresis and cryodepleted plasma components. These will no longer be produced after 31 December 2024, when the final stock of the pack system used for the current process expires.

Although we’ll continue to collect plasma by apheresis, during processing the single plasma donation will now be split into three individual units.

What is changing?

The National Blood Authority (NBA) and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) have approved the introduction of split apheresis cryoprecipitate and cryodepleted plasma components to replace the current large dose apheresis-derived presentation.

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Changes to Transplant and Immunogenetics Services (TIS) Platelet and Neutrophil request forms

What's new?

We’ve recently updated our Transplant and Immunogenetics Services (TIS) Platelet and Neutrophil request forms to reflect which state-based TIS laboratories would provide specialised platelet and neutrophil testing at Lifeblood.

Our Brisbane (QTIS) and Melbourne (VTIS) Platelet Laboratories are the national platelet reference laboratory services and provide specialised testing for platelet immunobiology and related transfusion reactions.

Specialised testing for IgA antibodies in IgA deficient patients with severe allergic or anaphylactic transfusion reactions is performed at the Brisbane (QTIS) laboratory. Our national neutrophil reference laboratory in Brisbane (QTIS) also provides specialised testing for neutrophil immunobiology and related transfusion reactions.

Topics trending at Lifeblood

Tranexamic Acid in Patients Undergoing Liver Resection: The HeLiX Randomized Clinical Trial

Tranexamic acid reduces bleeding and transfusion in range of surgical procedures, such as cardiac and orthopaedic surgery, however in cancer-related liver resection, mechanisms of bleeding and thrombotic risk factors differ.

The HeLiX (Hemorrhage During LiverResection: Tranexamic Acid) trial was a multicentre, placebo-controlled, parallel, pragmatic randomised clinical trial that assessed the effect of tranexamic acid on bleeding, blood transfusion, and perioperative complications in patients undergoing liver resection for a cancer-related indication.

In this study, adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) scheduled to undergo liver resection (open or minimally invasive) for a cancer-related indication (including colorectal liver metastases) were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive tranexamic acid (1 g bolus followed by 1 g infusion over 8 hours) or matching placebo (normal saline) following induction of anaesthesia and prior to surgical incision. The primary outcome was receipt of red cell transfusion from start of surgery until postoperative day 7, reported as the percentage of participants receiving transfusion. Transfusion guidelines were provided to participating sites, with the decision to transfuse left to the discretion of the medical teams.

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