For bleeding patients, can cold storage of platelets improve blood clotting?
$26 million in funding to help determine whether cold platelets can reduce blood loss more effectively than those stored at room temperature
The image illustrates platelets, which are essential for normal blood clotting in the body. Platelets are the focus of a large, multicenter study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. The researchers want to know whether maintaining platelets in cold storage is as effective in reducing blood loss as platelets stored at room temperature and whether the shelf life of cold platelets can be safely extended to 21 days. (Image: Getty Images)
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The image illustrates platelets, which are essential for normal blood clotting in the body. Platelets are the focus of a large, multicenter study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. The researchers want to know whether maintaining platelets in cold storage is as effective in reducing blood loss as platelets stored at room temperature and whether the shelf life of cold platelets can be safely extended to 21 days.
Patients undergoing complex cardiac surgery are at risk of excessive bleeding, a life-threatening complication that can occur during or after the operation and often requires a transfusion of platelets. Platelets help blood clot, preventing blood loss.