Why platelets need to be agitated
Platelets are a type of blood cell that play an important role in blood clotting. They are formed in the bone marrow and are present in the blood in small quantities. Because platelets have a short lifespan of around 5-9 days, they need to be stored and transfused to patients in need. During storage, platelets need to be agitated to prevent clumping and maintain their functionality.
Platelets are suspended in a small amount of plasma in the blood bag, and without agitation, they can stick together and form clumps, a process known as platelet aggregation. Aggregation can cause the platelets to lose their ability to function properly, which can be harmful to the recipient of the transfusion.
Agitation of platelets helps prevent this clumping and maintains the functionality of the platelets. The agitation of platelets can be achieved through various means, including mechanical agitation or continuous rocking motion of the blood bag during storage. The agitation also helps to evenly distribute the nutrients and gases that are necessary for the platelets to remain viable during storage.
In summary, platelets need to be agitated during storage to prevent clumping and maintain their functionality. This is important to ensure that they can be safely transfused to patients in need of a blood transfusion.
