Fresh frozen plasma

250 ml.

Takes approximately 30 minutes to thaw. Expires 24 hours after thawing if kept in a blood bank refrigerator. Expires 6 hours after thawing if kept at room temperature.

Used for replacement of clotting factors:

Multiple clotting factor deficiencies (e.g. liver failure)

Unknown clotting factor deficiency

Clotting factor deficiency for which there is no concentrate

TTP

Massive transfusion

Urgent warfarin reversal

Should not be used for volume replacement, nutritional support or colloid replacement.

If used prior to a procedure in response to an abnormal PT or PTT, be aware:

1. The PT/PTT may not correct to normal, especially in patients with liver disease, no matter how much FFP you transfuse.
2. If it is infused to correct a prolonged PT or PTT, documentation should be obtained that the values did indeed correct (or at least improve) before proceeding with the procedure.

Must be ABO compatible with the recipient's RBCs (see Compatible Blood Groups For Transfusion).

Is not yet solvent-detergent treated, so still has the same risk of infectious diseases such as hepatitis as whole blood.

Jumbo packs of FFP are available occasionally from BloodCare. These are units obtained by apheresis and should contain 500 to 600 ml of plasma from a single donor. Ideal for therapeutic plasmapheresis procedures where FFP is to be used.

Solvent-detergent treated FFP is not currently available. This component is under development to prevent transmission of HIV and hepatitis viruses.

Cryo-poor plasma is discussed under Special Components.

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