Buffy Coat Method

Platelet Poor Plasma

Step 1: Whole Blood is collected into a top and bottom pack and is centrifuged (hard spin) to produce platelet poor plasma, red blood cells and a buffy coat

Buffy Coat Layer

Red Cell Concentrate

Red Cell Additive

Images courtesy of Canadian Blood Services – Hospital Education Presentation 2004

Step 2Extraction

Plasma

Red blood cell

Buffy Coat

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Step 3: Pooled Buffy Coats are first pooled, then sterile docked to the platelet storage bags, followed by centrifugation at low speed

Buffy Coat Method cont.

Buffy Coats steriledocked together

Plasma

Pooling (Train Method)

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Platelet storage bag sterile docked to the Buff Coat “train”

• Buffy Coat Pool is loaded into buffy coat bag

• Supernatant (PRP) pressed through LR filter into storage bag

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• Pooled Platelet Concentrate, LR is Similar in physical size & dosage to an apheresis platelet concentrate

Buffy Coat Method cont.