Compatibility Testing

COMPATIBILITY TESTING • As the knowledge of new blood group system increased, so did the search for more sensitive pre-transfusion compatibility testing methods. Pioneer blood bankers mixed the patient’s serum and the donor’s red cells and observed for direct red blood cells lysis, agglutination, or both. This became known as the major cross-match test. • The term compatibility test and cross-match are some times used interchangeably, they should be clearly differentiated. COMPATIBILITY TESTING • The cross-match became part of a series of pre transfusion test known as compatibility testing compatibility test includes an . The ABO and Rh grouping performed on the donor and recipient samples, screening of the donor’s and patient’s sera for unexpected antibodies, and a cross-match. • The purpose of pre-transfusion or compatibility testing is to ensure the best possible results of a blood transfusion. • The transfused red cells will have an acceptable survival rate, and there will be no significant destruction of the recipient’s own red cells. COMPATIBILITY TESTING • Collection and Preparation of Samples. Positive Patient Identification The major cause of transfusion associated fatalities have been clerical errors resulting in incorrect grouping The most common cause transfusion accidents is ABO of clerical errors and thus misidentification of the patient involved in the transfusion. Confusion in identification of the patient when the blood sample was drawn a mixed up samples during handling in the lab, and error in identification of the patient when t