What is meant by deglycerolized units?

Deglycerolized units refer specifically to blood products that were initially frozen with glycerol for preservation and then thawed and processed to remove the glycerol before being used for transfusion. Glycerol is added during the freezing process to prevent the formation of ice crystals, which can damage red blood cells. Once the units are thawed, the glycerol must be removed through a washing process to ensure that the blood product is safe for infusion into patients. The significance of this process lies in the fact that glycerol can be harmful if reintroduced into the bloodstream.

This makes deglycerolized units particularly useful for patients who require blood transfusions but may have a reaction to glycerol. They are ideally utilized in situations where long-term storage of blood products is necessary, as freezing them with glycerol significantly extends their shelf life.

In contrast, other choices refer to different states or types of blood products without the specific context of glycerol removal, which is the core aspect of deglycerolized units.