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How long after blood is removed from blood bank's refrigerator do you have to start it?

User Soclose
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Final answer:

The blood should be started within 30 minutes of removal from refrigeration to ensure safety and minimize bacterial growth. Strict temperature management is essential both for blood storage and organ transport, with a four-hour window for heart transplants to maintain organ viability.

Step-by-step explanation:

The safe time frame for starting the transfusion of blood after it is removed from the blood bank's refrigerator is generally within 30 minutes; however, specific protocols may vary by facility and country. Once blood is warmed to room temperature, the risk of bacterial growth increases, similar to the concerns with food safety when it exceeds 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) for over two hours.

In the medical context, organs such as hearts for transplant must be kept cool during transport, ideally on ice inside coolers, and there is a critical four-hour window to minimize the risk of the organ being in sub-optimal condition. This is because as the temperature rises, the likelihood of bacterial growth and deterioration of the organ's condition increases. Hearts not starting after transplantation occur in up to seven percent of cases, highlighting the importance of temperature management in maintaining organ viability.

User Didier Trosset
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