Methods and systems for providing red blood cell products with reduced plasma

An automated method for obtaining a readily transfusible volume of a plasma-reduced red blood cell product wherein said plasma comprises 15% or less of a supernatant component of said red blood cell product, said method comprising:

• a) separating in a separation chamber of a centrifugal separation device a volume of anticoagulated blood into concentrated red blood cells and a supernatant component consisting essentially of a residual amount of plasma and anticoagulant;
• b) determining an initial plasma volume in said separated supernatant;
• c) removing an amount of said supernatant component to provide a red blood cell concentrate and remaining supernatant;
• d) determining the volume of plasma remaining in said supernatant after said removing step;
• e) introducing said red blood cell concentrate into a container in flow communication with said separation chamber;
• f) combining a portion of said red blood cell concentrate with a selected amount of additive solution wherein said
• amount of additive solution suitable for long term storage of red blood cells to be added to said red blood cell concentrate portion is selected such that the percentage of plasma in a final red blood cell product, by volume, is 15% or less of said supernatant wherein said supernatant consists essentially of plasma, anticoagulant and additive solution;
• introducing said combined red blood cell concentrate portion and additive into said separation chamber;
• g) separating said red blood cell concentrate from a supernatant component consisting essentially of plasma, anticoagulant and additive solution;
• and
• h) collecting said red blood cell concentrate to arrive at said final red blood cell product.