The history of buffy coat platelet concentrates: The Dutch story

Abstract

The buffy coat method as a source for platelet concentrates was developed in the 1970s and is still used in many blood centres around the world. Development of the method sparked various technological advances in blood collection, processing and storage. At the time, the need for platelet concentrates sharply increased because of better treatment regimens for (onco)haematological diseases, which forced blood centres to standardize and automate their production processes as much as the technology would allow. In this review, a historical overview of the Dutch experiences is provided in the context of the international developments.

The effect of two platelet‐rich plasma aspiration techniques on plasma cellular concentrations using a double syringe gravitational centrifugation system

“…However, the flash samples had a higher mean concentration of platelets than the preflash samples, which is likely due to the inclusion of platelets in the buffy coat as a result of gravitational centrifugation. 10 Alternatively, it is possible that due to the centrifugation process, platelet distribution in PRP produced with the ACP system is not homogenous. In this study, the PRP harvested with the preflash method represents the most proximal plasma, which should be consistent with the lowest concentration of platelets.…”

“…Additionally, an investigation comparing the cellular components of five different PRP harvesting systems found varying results in the platelet, leukocyte and erythrocyte concentrations once the whole blood is converted to PRP using a filtration or gravitational centrifugation system 9 . Further, though the goal of gravitational centrifugation PRP harvesting systems is to produce homogenous PRP, platelets may not be evenly distributed within the plasma sample as platelets typically congregate with red and white blood cells in the buffy coat during traditional centrifugation 10 . This uncertainty may lead clinicians to favor the plasma closest to the buffy coat, risking introduction of erythrocytes and leukocytes to the sample even though these cells have been found to delay healing of cartilage and increase synovial cell death 2 …”

“…9 Further, though the goal of gravitational centrifugation PRP harvesting systems is to produce homogenous PRP, platelets may not be evenly distributed within the plasma sample as platelets typically congregate with red and white blood cells in the buffy coat during traditional centrifugation. 10 This uncertainty may lead clinicians to favor the plasma closest to the buffy coat, risking introduction of erythrocytes and leukocytes to the sample even though these cells have been found to delay healing of cartilage and increase synovial cell death. 2 The objectives of this study were to identify if piercing the buffy coat (visualized as a "flash" of red blood cells) while sampling PRP was necessary to produce PRP and to identify which aspiration technique minimized the cellular plasma concentrations of leukocytes and erythrocytes in PRP harvested with two techniques using a commercially available double-syringe, gravitational centrifugation PRP system.…”

Selected issues on pathogen inactivation in blood components; reports presented at the 33rd Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) in Gothenburg, June 17–21, 2023

“…Equally important is to assess whether the modified content of the additive solution improves platelet quality after pathogen inactivation. [7].…”

Optimizing Platelet-Rich Plasma: Spin Time and Sample Source

“…The technique of separation of blood components by density gradient centrifugation was developed in the 1960s and 1970s [2]. In the twentieth century, blood banks developed sophisticated methods for isolating the buffy coat as a source of platelets and white blood cells (WBCs) [3].…”