Maintaining the integrity of blood products during storage and transportation is critical for patient safety and effective medical treatments. Blood products such as red blood cells, whole blood, and plasma are highly perishable and require strict temperature control to prevent degradation and bacterial growth.

A study by the American Red Cross examined the effects of a three-hour temperature excursion on bacterial growth in refrigerated leukoreduced red blood cells (RBCs). In this study, researchers tested several bacteria, including Serratia marcescens, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, by briefly exposing RBCs to room temperature (20-24°C) before returning them to cold storage (1-6°C). While most bacteria showed no significant changes, S. marcescens exhibited notable growth during later storage, raising concerns about potential infection risks.

Since blood products are often not under direct supervision once issued, maintaining strict storage conditions (6°C for storage, 10°C for transport) is essential for patient safety. This study underscores the importance of temperature monitoring solutions to help prevent bacterial contamination and ensure safe transfusions.

Proper monitoring helps ensure that only viable blood products are used, reducing waste, improving efficiency, and ultimately saving lives.

Zebra Safe-T-Vue® Temperature Indicators provide a visual indication when blood products, plasma, and RBCs have reached or exceeded 6°C or 10°C.

Safe-T-Vue® Temperature Indicators by Zebra

The easy-to-use Safe-T-Vue® Temperature Indicators are heat-sensitive and easily adhere directly to blood bags. Safe-T-Vue alerts users when blood products are exposed to potentially damaging temperatures. The indicators are a cost-effective, reliable, and simple way to promote quality for blood banks and transfusion services.

Enhancing Compliance and Accountability

Safe-T-Vue indicators help improve compliance with storage and transport guidelines. If the Safe-T-Vue Indicator remains white, the blood is still within the safe temperature range and can be returned to storage for future use, minimizing waste and preserving valuable blood supplies.

Attributes Of Safe-T-Vue® Temperature Indicators

• Non-reversable– Safe-T-Vue indicates that a higher temperature occurred even if the temperature eventually returns to a lower level.
• Highly accurate– It has been validated to indicate true core temperature even when applied to the surface of the blood bag, giving users a reliable and accurate reading.
• Easy to interpret– Safe-T-Vue changes color from white to red when the whole blood, red blood cells and plasma, have reached or exceeded 6°C or 10°C.
• Removes the guesswork–  Safe-T-Vue provides accountability during transportation and transit, meaning users can be confident of the temperature the blood product has been exposed to.
• Reduces waste– Whether blood products are being stored or transported, temperature variations can be easily identified at every stage, allowing units that have been maintained within their regulated temperature range to be placed back into storage for reissue.

To learn more about the Safe-T-Vue® Temperature Indicators from Zebra please call 888-891-1200 or email us to be connected to your local sales representative.

MED Alliance Group is a medical device distributor that has been meeting the needs of our clinical customers and manufacturing partners since 1998. Dedicated to meeting the needs of its clinical customers and manufacturing partners, MED Alliance offers cost-effective, customized sales, logistics, and distribution solutions for products found in anesthesia/respiratory, blood/transfusion therapy, EMS/emergency room, interventional radiology/cath lab, iv/vascular, NICU/PICU and pharmacy.

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Reference:

American Red Cross Study