2017 Volume 63 Issue 1 Pages 15-22
Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is thawed at a temperature of 30-37°C, and should be used within 3 hours of thawing. A specialized FFP thawing device or water bath is usually used for thawing FFP at the appropriate temperature. However, for departments that do not frequently use FFP, warm water in a vat is often used for thawing FFP. We introduce a simple FFP thawing method that involves the use of warm water in a vertical container, which is employed as the standard method in our hospital. The coagulation factors of thawed FFP using a water bath and our novel method were measured. There were no significant differences between the two methods in these coagulation factors. The nurses were trained in the use of this method, and a system wherein FFP is thawed at the appropriate temperature was established even in departments that do not frequently use FFP. This novel thawing method and the training was useful in providing safe and effective FFP transfusion.
