transfusable

Transfusable is an adjective meaning capable of being transfused, most often used in medicine to describe blood products and other fluids that can be safely introduced into a patient’s circulatory system by transfusion.

Transfusable products include red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and certain coagulation factor concentrates. Before a product is considered transfusable, it undergoes testing to ensure compatibility and safety. Compatibility testing typically includes ABO and Rh typing and, when indicated, crossmatching to minimize immune reactions. Safety measures include screening for infectious diseases, leukoreduction to reduce febrile reactions, irradiation to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, and adherence to proper storage and handling.

Shelf life varies by product type and storage conditions: red cells are commonly stored refrigerated for up to about 42 days, platelets at room temperature with agitation for about 5 days, and plasma frozen within 24 hours of collection and stored for up to a year or more depending on storage conditions.

Regulatory and clinical oversight in many countries governs transfusable products through national health authorities and professional bodies. Standards typically address donor screening, product labeling, storage, handling, and traceability to ensure patient safety and blood supply quality. In practice, transfusable is most commonly encountered within transfusion medicine and blood banking.

Alternative spellings and related terms exist. Transfusable is closely related to transfusible, a variant spelling, and to transferable or transferrable, which are used in non-medical contexts. See also transfusion and transfusion medicine for broader context.