Superlite Plasma Collection System.

Abstract

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare launched a national initiative to become plasma self-sufficient by reducing reliance on imported plasma products and increasing plasma collections to enable plasma-derived pharmaceuticals, including albumin, globulin, and Factor VIII products to use plasma collected within Japan. In order to realize this goal, plasma collections from volunteer donors must increase to about 1.5 million litres of plasma per year (1) or about 50% more than what the Japan Red Cross currently collects. A mobile device, such as the Superlite system, will make it easier and more efficient for Japan's sole blood collection agency, the Japan Red Cross, to add plasma collection to mobile blood drives. Haemonetics Corporation (Braintree, MA, USA) has combined many years of apheresis experience with up-to-date technology to create the Superlite Plasma Collection System (PCS) for the Japan Red Cross. This new device, which is expected to greatly contribute to the Red Cross's national source plasma collection program, is even smaller than the Ultralite PCS and offers several advanced features and benefits. Light, compact, and very portable, the Superlite has a Japanese language friendly user interface that continually displays collection status, including time remaining in the collection procedure. The device features a protocol that limits extra-corporeal blood volume for low-weight donors; a program used in conjunction with a reduced volume disposable bowl. Superlite, designed for use in both fixed-site and mobile applications, combines the portable ease-of-use of the Ultralite with the collection process calculation abilities of the CCS to provide a state-of-the-art collection device that will help define the future of Japan plasma collection.