The blood supply can become disrupted in situations of increased demand during unexpected national catastrophes and when a patient needs a rare blood transfusion, which depends on the blood inventory in peacetime. Cryopreservation of blood, which can be stored up to 10 years, represents a possible solution to this problem by avoiding storage lesions. This review describes frozen red cell technologies, quality control issues related to post-thaw red blood cells, and preconditions and practical considerations for implementation of a frozen blood banking system in Korea.
Blood Banks ; Blood Transfusion ; Cryopreservation ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality Control ; Strategic Stockpile*