How long can platelets be stored in a refrigerator?

Platelets can be stored in a refrigerator for a maximum of 5 days before they begin to lose their effectiveness and viability. This is due to the fact that platelets require specific conditions to remain functional, and refrigeration slows down their metabolic processes but does not stop them completely. After this 5-day period, the quality of platelets diminishes, increasing the risk of inadequate hemostasis when transfused into a patient.

In practice, this short shelf life is crucial for medical planning and logistical considerations in blood banking and transfusion medicine, requiring careful management of platelet inventory to ensure that they are used within this limited time frame to maintain patient safety and treatment efficacy.