Managing a rare donor programme: the immunohaematology laboratory perspective

Alloimmunization is a major complication of blood transfusion which occurs more frequently in patients who are chronically transfused. It causes serologic investigations and makes the selection of compatible blood difficult, expensive and time‐consuming. Prompt availability of compatible units for patients with complex alloimmunization requires access to an inventory of extensively typed blood and to a database of rare donors. There are two key factors for rare donor provision. First, the routine programmes of red cell antigen typing in large cohorts of donors. Second, the ability to enrol healthy donors and patients negative for high‐prevalence antigens as well as family members. The immunohaematology laboratory is a highly specialized unit in charge of identifying challenging antibodies. It uses multiple methods of analysis and a broad inventory of reagents and cells not easily available. The laboratory also finds compatible blood units for patients with complex alloimmunization and designs appropriate transfusion strategies for these patients often in cooperation with international programmes.
Source: ISBT Science Series - Category: Hematology Authors: Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research