Article Text
Acute paediatrics
American fresh frozen plasma for neonates and children
Abstract
From the spring of 2004 the United Kingdom Blood Services have been importing fresh frozen plasma from United States donors for all neonates and children born after 1 January 1996. The decision to mandate the use of American plasma in this age group was taken by the Department of Health in 2002 as part of its precautionary approach to the risk of transfusion transmitted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In this article we explain the background to this decision and explore some of the implications it raises for clinical practice.
- BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy
- DH, Department of Health
- FFP, fresh frozen plasma
- MB, methylene blue
- NBS, National Blood Service
- TRALI, transfusion related acute lung injury
- vCJD, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- blood transfusion
- fresh frozen plasma
- viral inactivation