Cross Matching
Cross-matching blood in transfusion
medicine, refers to the complex testing that is performed prior to a blood
transfusion, to determine if the donor's blood is compatible with the blood of
an intended recipient, or to identify matches for organ transplants.
Cross-matching is usually performed only after other, less complex tests have
not excluded compatibility. Blood compatibility has many aspects, and is
determined not only by the bloodtypes (O. A. B. AB), but also by bloodfactors
(Rh. Kel, etc.).
Cross-matching is done by a certified
laboratorytechnologist, in a laboratory. It can be done electronically, with a
computer database, or serologically. Simpler tests may be used to determine
blood type (only), or to screen for antibodies (only). (indirect Coombs test).
Types
of Cross-matching
Electronic cross-matching
Electronic cross-matching is essentially
a computer-assisted analysis of the data entered from testing done on the donor
unit and blood samples drawn from intended recipient. This includes ABO/Rh
typing of the unit and of the recipient, and an antibody screen of the
recipient. Electronic cross-matching can only be used if a patient has a
negative antibody screen, which means that they do not have any active red blood
cell atypical antibodies, or they are below the detectable level of current
testing methods. if all of the data entered is compatible, the computer will
print a compatibility label stating that the unit is safe to transfuse.
Cross-matching falls into
two categories:
Major Cross-match: Recipient serum is
tested against donor packed cells to determine if the recipient has preformed
antibodies against any antigens on the donor's cells. This is the required
cross-match prior to release of a unit of packed cells. -
Minor Cross-match: Recipient red cells are
tested against donor serum to detect donor antibodies directed against a
patient's antigens. This is no longer required. It is assumed that the small
amount of donor serum and antibodies left in a unit of packed cells will be
diluted in a recipient.
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