Blood Products That Disintegrate After 72 Hours
No blood products truly "disintegrate" after 72 hours, but platelets stored at room temperature (20-24°C) begin to lose hemostatic function and face increased bacterial contamination risk beyond 3-5 days of storage. 1
Platelet Storage and Viability
Standard room-temperature platelets have a shelf-life of only 5-7 days maximum, which is dramatically shorter than other blood products. 1 This limited shelf-life exists because:
- Platelets must be stored at room temperature (20-24°C) to maintain their hemostatic function 1
- Room temperature storage creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth, limiting safe storage duration 1
- After 72 hours, platelet function begins declining, though they remain usable for several more days within the 5-7 day window 1
Alternative Platelet Storage Methods
Cryopreserved platelets (frozen at -80°C) and cold-stored platelets (2-6°C) represent emerging alternatives with different storage characteristics:
- Cryopreserved platelets can be stored for years rather than days, though evidence for their clinical use remains very limited 1
- Cold-stored platelets (2-6°C) may have longer shelf-lives than standard units and potentially greater hemostatic activity, with studies examining storage up to 14 days 1
- Current evidence is insufficient to recommend either alternative over standard room-temperature platelets 1
Other Blood Products and Storage Duration
Red blood cells and plasma have substantially longer storage times:
- Red blood cells can be stored up to 42 days at 1-10°C 1, 2, 3
- Fresh frozen plasma maintains stability for extended periods when frozen 1
- Cryoprecipitate remains stable when properly frozen 4, 5
Critical Timing for Specific Products
RhD immune globulin (RhIg) has a 72-hour optimal administration window, though this relates to clinical effectiveness rather than product degradation:
- RhIg should be administered within 72 hours of exposure to RhD-positive red blood cells for optimal prevention of alloimmunization 1, 6
- The product itself remains stable, but the clinical window for preventing sensitization closes after 72 hours 1, 6
- Administration may still provide some benefit up to 28 days post-exposure, though effectiveness decreases 6
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not confuse the 72-hour RhIg administration window with product expiration - this is a clinical effectiveness timeline, not product degradation 1, 6
- Do not assume the 30-minute rule for blood reissue relates to product degradation - this is a bacterial contamination concern, and evidence suggests units could safely remain at room temperature for up to 2 hours 3
- Do not discard platelets immediately after 72 hours - they remain usable for 5-7 days total when stored at room temperature 1