Haematology - Blood Transfusion 1 & 2 Flashcards
Recall 2 ways in which patients’ blood group is tested
- Using anti-A,B and O reagents against the patient’s red blood cells
- Also use ‘reverse group’ - known A and B group RBCs against the patient’s plasma
The forward grouping suggests the presence or absence of A and B antigens in RBCs, whereas reverse grouping indicates the presence or absences of anti-A and anti-B in serum.
o A positive result causes agglutination at the top
o A negative result will mean that the red cells stay suspended at the bottom of the vial
. The subject is blood group A if agglutination occurred with the Anti-A test serum; group B if agglutination occurred with the Anti-B test serum; group AB if agglutination occurred with both test serums, and O if there was no agglutination in either case
What is the purpose of ‘immediate spin’ blood testing?
Used in emergencies only
Incubation for just 5 minutes
Determines ABO compatibility only
An immediate spin crossmatch is performed using patient’s plasma or serum and donor red cells. The purpose is to demonstrate or confirm ABO compatibility.
What are the 3 pillars of patient blood management?
- Optomise haematopoiesis
- Reduce bleeding (eg stop anti-platelt drugs, cell-salvage techniques)
- Harness and optomise physiological tolerance of anaemia
For which blood products is D compatibility required?
Red cells and platelets (but not FFP or cryoprecipitate)
What is the storage temperature of red cells, platelets, FFP and cryoprecipitate?
Red cells: 4 degrees C
Platelets: 20 degrees C
FFP: 4 degrees C once thawed (-30c frozen before)
Cryoprecipitate: Room temp once thawed (before -30c frozen)
What is the storage length of red cells, platelets, FFP and cryoprecipitate?
Red cells: 35 days
Platelets: 7 days
FFP: 24 hours thawed othwerise 3 years frozen
Cryoprecipitate: 4 hours thawed otherwise 3 years frozen
What is the transfusion rate of red cells, platelets, FFP and cryoprecipitate?
Red cells: 1 unit over 2-3 hours
Platelets: 1 unit over 20-30 mins
FFP: 1 unit over 20-30 mins
Cryoprecipitate: 1 unit over 20-30 mins
How much blood loss counts as ‘major’?
>30% blood volume lost
When are platelets contra-indicated?
TTP/ heparin-induced TTP
How low does haemaglobin need to be to require transfusion peri-operatively vs post-chemo?
Peri-op/ crit care: <70g/dL
Post-chemo: <80g/dL
In what type of surgery is post-operative cell salvage most often done?
Knee surgery
What are the steps of intra-operative cell salvage?
Centrifuge, filter, wash and re-infuse blood
What special blood reuquirements do pregnant women & neonates have?
CMV neg
What special blood reuquirements do highly immunocompromised patients have?
Blood needs to be irradiated
What special blood requirements do patients who have had severe reactions in the past to transfusion have?
Washed cells e.g in IgA deficiency
to reduce allergic reactions due to contaminating plasma proteins
Recall the 10 classes of transfusion reaction, and which are acute/ delayed?
Acute (<24 hours):
- Acute haemolytic (ABO incompatible)
- Allergic/ anaphylaxis
- Bacterial infection
- Febrile non-haemolytic
- TACO/TRALI (Resp)
Delayed: over 24 hours - may pass dark urine or be jaundiced
- Delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction (antibodies)
- Transfusion-associated GVHD
- Infection (malaria, CJD)
- Post-transfusion purpura
- Iron overload (thalasaemia patients mostly)
What monitoring should be done during a blood transfusion as minimum?
- Baseline temp, HR, RR, BP
- Repeat obs after 15 mins
- Repeat hourly after end of transfusion
What are the features of febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction?
Temp increase by 1 degree ish
Chills and rigors
Why is febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction rare nowadays?
Blood is now leucodepleted to reduce risk of febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction
How should febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction be managed?
Stop/ slow the transfusion and give paracetamol
What is the pathophysiology of febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction?
Cytokines released by white blood cells during storage cause a febrile reaction upon transfusion
What should be the management of an allergic transfusion reaction?
Stop/ slow transfusion
IV antihitamines
What are the symptoms of ABO incompatibility?
Shock and fever
Restlessness, fever, vomiting and collapse
=severe/fatal
What is the appropriate management for ABO incompatibility?
Stop transfusion
Check patient and component
Repeat cross match and DAT
What are the symptoms of bacterial contamination of blood?
Presents very similar to wrong blood - shock, increased temp, restless, fever, vomiting, collapse
=severe/fatall
How does bacterial contamination of blood cause symptoms?
Bacterial growth –> endotoxin which causes immediate collapse
Recall some protocols for prevention of bacterial contamination of blood
Donor questionning
Arm cleaning
Diversion of first 20mls of blood into pouch for testing
Proper storage
Which patients are at most risk of anaphylactic reaction to a blood transfusion?
Those with IgA deficiency (remember its common, 1 in 600)
How quickly does TACO/TRALI present?
Within 6 hours
What does TACO stand for?
Transfusion-associated circulatory overload
What are the symptons of TACO?
SOB, decreased SaO2, increased HR and BP (due to pulmonary oedema)
clinical fluid overload
What should be checked pre-transfusion to reduce the risk of TACO?
Check the patient is not always in positive fluid balance
Check they don’t have risk factors for TACO = renal impairment, cardiac failure, hypoalbuminaemia - if they do, they need a aprophylactic diuretic