Authors:
John T. Blake
1
;
2
and
Ken McTaggart
1
Affiliations:
1
Centre for Innovation, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
;
2
Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Keyword(s):
Monte Carlo Simulation, Platelet Production, Pathogen Reduction Technology, Integer Programming.
Abstract:
All blood products in Canada undergo testing for transmissible diseases and bacterial contamination. As a result, the risk of a transfusion related infection is estimated at less than 1 in 47,000. Nevertheless, there are infectious agents that are not screened for, as well as the potential for infection from emerging pathogens that are either unknown, or for which screening tests have not been developed. Thus, Canadian Blood Services is introducing pathogen reduction (PR) technologies to further increase the safety of the blood supply. The focus of this study is to identify key input parameters for the PR process and to estimate output dose parameters for the units produced. The unit volume and platelet yield from combining buffy coat platelets into a pool are estimated via Monte Carlo simulation. The value of sorting input buffy coat units according to estimated platelet yield, prior to illumination, is determined. Finally, the model estimates the effects of two different sorting al
gorithms on output quality control metrics. The results of the study found that no process changes were required to ensure input units meet input PR process guidelines. However, sorting input units according to platelet yield could significantly improve the proportion of units meeting quality control metrics.
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