Survival of red cells stored for 21 and 35 days in a non-di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate plastic container.

Whole blood and red cells were stored using citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) and citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine (CPDA-1) anticoagulants in polyvinylchloride bags made flexible with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) or tri-(2-ethylhexyl)trimellitate (TOTM) plasticizers. After storage the posttransfusion viability of these cells was tested in autologous donors. Cells stored in TOTM-plasticized film had a survival rate less than 75% when stored for 35 days, while other systems had a survival greater than this. When compared with the red cells stored in CPD-DEHP-plasticized film, the viability of whole blood and red cells stored in CPDA-TOTM showed a statistically significant decrease (p = less than 0.01). Therefore, red cell storage in TOTM-plasticized PVC with current anticoagulant should be limited to 21 days.