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crossmatch

A test for incompatibility between donor & recipient blood. It is performed prior to transfusion in order to prevent potentially lethal hemolytic transfusion reactions. Indications: - transfusion needed - unexpected antibody in type & screen [2] Procedure: 1) major cross-match a) incubation of plasma of recipient with erythrocytes of donor b) clumping of erythrocytes indicates incompatibility (recipient antibodies to donor erythrocytes) 2) minor cross-match a) incubation of plasma of donor with erythrocytes of recipeint b) clumping of erythrocytes indicates incompatibility (donor antibodies to recipient erythrocytes) Management: - autoimmune hemolytic anemia is treated with transfusion of ABO Rh matched incompatible units [2] - donor erythrocytes, although cross-match incompatible, will still survive for days to weeks - major complication is failure to identify significant alloantibody (unlikely if patient has not been previously transfused)

Related

blood transfusion type & screen

Specific

HLA crossmatch

General

blood banking test (transfusion medicine test)

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
  2. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 18, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2018

Component-of

type & crossmatch