Survival of Transfused Donor Mononuclear Leukocytes during Open-Heart Surgery

Abstract

IN 1962 Petrakis and Politis,¹ utilizing tissue-culture methods, demonstrated that certain mononuclear leukocytes remained viable in stored human blood for as long as twenty-two days, with no significant change in viability for as long as twenty-four hours. It follows that donor mononuclear leukocytes are viable at the time of transfusion of short-term stored blood to the recipients. Recently, Seaman and Starr² described a new entity, designated as "febrile post cardiotomy lymphocytic splenomegaly," occurring after open-heart surgery with the pump oxygenator, in which massive transfusions of fresh whole blood are employed. In 9 of 250 patients a typical syndrome of fever, . . .