If the hermetic seal on a unit of packed red blood cells has been broken, how soon must the product be used if stored in the blood bank refrigerator?

If the hermetic seal on a unit of packed red blood cells has been broken, how soon must the product be used if stored in the blood bank refrigerator?

• A. 6 hours
• B. 12 hours
• C. 24 hours
• D. 48 hours

Answer: (C)

When a hermetic seal is broken, the unit becomes an open system. That means it’s exposed to environmental contaminants, and even refrigerated storage cannot guarantee sterility. To minimize the risk of bacterial growth and septic transfusion, an opened packed RBC unit stored at 1–6°C should be used within 24 hours. After that window, discard is advised. The other time frames are not appropriate for an opened unit in the blood bank refrigerator.

When a hermetic seal is broken, the unit becomes an open system. That means it’s exposed to environmental contaminants, and even refrigerated storage cannot guarantee sterility. To minimize the risk of bacterial growth and septic transfusion, an opened packed RBC unit stored at 1–6°C should be used within 24 hours. After that window, discard is advised. The other time frames are not appropriate for an opened unit in the blood bank refrigerator.