BRIEF NOTE The Use of a Special Preservation Medium for the Maintenance of Platelet Viability at 4 C.

T HE RETENTION of the viability of stored, fresh platelets is of consider-able importance, since in order to be effective in hemostasis, infused platelets must be capable of remaining in the circulation for some time after infusion.1,: \Ve believe that the survival time of platelets in the circulation may i)e equated with tileir viability. Our previotus experiments diemonstrated that conventional methods of storage at 4 C. result in rapid reduction in the viability of human platelets.3 After only 3 hours of storage, shortening of the platelet survival time and/or reduction in the recovery of platelets in the recipient’s circulation were clearly evident. After 24 hours, platelet viability was almost negligible. The use of ACD,#{176} dextrose, or DAS-gelatin mediumi produced no significant alteration in tile results. These findings emphasized that the rapid loss of platelet viability with even very short periods of storage posed a considerable problem in the prac-tice of platelet transfusion. They naturally stressed the need for tile dievelop