Point-of-Care RBC Washing to Prevent Transfusion-Related Pulmonary Complications

Point-of-Care RBC Washing to Prevent Transfusion-Related Pulmonary Complications

This study is designed to determine if point-of-care washing of allogeneic Leukocyte-Reduced Red Blood Cells reduces pulmonary complications when compared to standard-of-care Leukocyte-Reduced Red Blood Cells in a cardiac surgical population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age equal to or greater than 18 years of age.
• Scheduled to have cardiac bypass surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota or Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina
• At risk for needing at least 4 units of blood during/after surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• Emergency surgery
• Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency
• History of severe recurrent transfusion reactions
• Refusal to receive allogeneic blood products
• Refusal to provide informed consent
• Prevalent lung injury prior to randomization
• Prevalent congestive heart failure prior to randomization
• Expected hospital stay < 48 hours
• Not anticipated to survive > 48 hours
• Previously enrolled in this trial
• No plan for placement of a pulmonary artery catheter
• Use of home oxygen therapy
• Complex RBC antibody profiles
• Need for the use of irradiated RBCs