How long does blood last in a bank?

42 days
Routine blood storage is 42 days or 6 weeks for stored packed red blood cells (also called “StRBC” or “pRBC”), by far the most commonly transfused blood product, and involves refrigeration but usually not freezing.

Does stored blood go bad?

Blood banks store freshly donated blood for up to six weeks before it is considered outdated and thrown away. But some recent studies suggest that people who receive transfusions of blood older than two or three weeks may suffer adverse effects. Others received fresher red blood cells, stored 28 days or less.

How long can blood components be stored?

Blood is an excellent culture medium for bacterial growth; therefore it is stored in approved refrigerators at 2-6°C, where it has a shelf life of 35 days from donation.

What happens to blood when it gets old?

The blood itself changes slightly with age. Normal aging causes a reduction in total body water. As part of this, there is less fluid in the bloodstream, so blood volume decreases. The speed with which red blood cells are produced in response to stress or illness is reduced.

Why can blood be stored for 42 days?

It turns out that within hours of leaving the body, levels of nitric oxide in the blood begin to drop, until, by the time donated blood expires after 42 days, the gas is almost nonexistent. “Many patients who are getting blood are being put at increased risk.”

Why do blood products expire?

Platelets expire five days from the date of collection because they cannot be refrigerated. The FDA sets these dates on the basis of safety and viability studies.

How long can blood sit out?

2. Whole blood samples should not remain at room temperature longer than 8 hours. If assays are not completed within 8 hours, samples should be stored at +2°C to +8°C no longer than 7 days.

Can blood become stale?

Old blood becomes thicker and “stale.” Old blood has more red blood cells, which makes the blood less “elastic, and more likely, because its thicker, to produce blood clots.

Which blood component has 10 years of shelf life?

Red blood cells are prepared from whole blood by removing the plasma (the liquid portion of the blood). They have a shelf life of up to 42 days, depending on the type of anticoagulant used. They can also be treated and frozen for 10 years or more.