Hemapheresis System

Abstract

Historically, the major transfusion requirements for cancer treatment have been for blood and plasma products used in surgery. The relatively long storage time of these products, 35 days for red cells and 1 year for fresh frozen plasma, have made management of inventories of these products amenable to relatively simple data systems. Many hospital blood bank inventory systems have been developed to handle these products. Likewise, systems for the management of the large- scale donor center manufacture and testing of blood components are also available. However systems to assist in the management of platelet concentrates with 1- to 5-day storage times have not been so well developed.

Hayden G. Braine, M.D., joined the Oncology Center in 1976 and established the Hemapheresis and Transfusion Service. During its inception, Dr. Braine initiated work on the automation of this service and its integration with the OCIS. Dr. Braine is an Associate Professor in Oncology with a special interest in the transfusion of cancer patients. He holds joint appointments in both Medicine and Laboratory Medicine at Johns Hopkins, and is presently the Director of the Hemapheresis and Transfusion Services at the Center.