Transfusion
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This article describes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for a computer crossmatch to replace the immediate-spin crossmatch for ABO incompatibility between patient blood samples submitted for pretransfusion testing and the blood component selected for transfusion. These SOPs were developed following recent changes to the Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). ⋯ A combination of existing computer programs and carefully developed SOPs can provide a safe and efficient means of detecting donor-recipient incompatibility without performance of serologic crossmatch.
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When a transfused patient develops multiple or weak blood group antibodies, posttransfusion phenotyping is useful in antibody identification. To perform a correct phenotyping after transfusion, isolation of autologous red cells is necessary. However, mature autologous red cells are impossible to separate from their donor counterparts. Since the proportion of autologous reticulocytes compared to donor reticulocytes increases rapidly after transfusion, selective isolation of reticulocytes provides autologous cells for antigen typing. ⋯ This method is helpful in selecting compatible blood when patients have developed antibodies and have an urgent need for further transfusions.