Quality Control of Fresh Frozen Plasma in Hospital Blood Bank Using pH, Volume, Residual Cells Count, PT, and PTT

Background: Quality control of blood and its derivatives is essential for the safety of patients. Fresh frozen Plasma (FFP) is obtained by separating fresh whole blood and stored at -25 Cº or below. According to the European guideline in quality controls, the FFP should be checked before being transfused to patients. This study was designed to examine volume, pH, residual red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), platelets (PLTs), PT, and APTT before freezing as a part of FFP quality control.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study included 100 FFP bags conducted in a hospital blood bank in Khartoum state - Sudan. Residual cells (RBCs, WBC, and platelet) were counted by Sysmex KX-21 Analyzer also Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT), which were performed using Día Lab Coagulometer. The pH of the bags was measured by a pH meter in addition to the Plasma volume.Result: The FFP residual cells RBCs and WBCs showed decreased count from the international standard P-value=0.00, while the platelets count was within the reference value. The pH was slightly acidic with an average value of 6.95, and the mean volume of the FFP bags (120 ml) was below the international standard range P-value = 0.00. PT and PTT within international standards.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the prepared FFP bags do not meet international criteria for residual cells, volume, and pH. In contrast, PT and PTT are within the internationally recommended range.