Blood Bank Flashcards
(93 cards)
Tranfusion requirements for Sickle Cell patients
Matching for Rh and Kell ahead of time is associated with an a priori risk reduction from 30% rate of reactions to 10% rate of reactions.
So, always match a Sickle patient for Rh and Kell
Pasmin inhibitors
Prevent the generation of plasmin from plasminogen
Aminocaproate (Amicar) and Tranexamic acid (TXA)
Reducing the risk of HLA refractoriness
Leukoreduced platelets (filtration or UV radiation) are associated with a reduced risk of HLA/alloantibody-mediated platelet refractoriness development
[image: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM199712253372601?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Reducing the risk of fever from platelet transfusions
Leukoreduction!
The leukocytes that make it into the product will produce cytokines otherwise.

Massive transfusion-associated complications
- Hypocalcemia (citrate-mediated chelation)
- Hyperkalemia (hemolyzed red cells)
- Hypothermia (blood products are cold!)
- Coagulopathy (dilutional)
Two mechanisms of TRALI
-
Donor antibody hypothesis
- Reaction of donor HLA or donor antibodies against recipient antigens causes cytokine release and leukocyte aggregation in the lungs.
-
Two-event hypothesis
- 1st event: Something happens to stimulate recipient neutrophils to accumulate in the lungs
- 2nd event: Transfusion of blood products that accumulate lipids that activate neutrophils
Platelet transfusion in bleeding patients on antiplatelets
A single dose of platelets is reasonable in patients on NON-ASPIRIN antiplatelets.
If the patient is on aspirin, more platelets won’t help. They will be immediately poisoned.
ddAVP and anti-fibrinolytics (aminocaproate, tranexamic acid) should be considered.
Platelet threshold: Prevent spontaneous bleeding
10,000
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding in a percutaneous or transbronchial biopsy
50,000
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding in a lumbar puncture
30,000
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding during epidural injection or catheter placement/removal
80,000
Platelet threshold: Treat active bleeding
50,000
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding during surgery
50,000
Note, this is the same as active bleeding, probably for a reason.
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding during central line placement
20,000
Platelet threshold: Prevent bleeding during neurosurgery
100,000
Biopsies in patients on antiplatelets
Biopsies can be performed safely on patients taking anti-platelets. This is not an indication for transfusion.
Treating bleeding in a patient with uremic platelet dysfunction
Transfusion here is obviously no good.
Instead, options include dialysis, ddAVP, and cryoprecipitate.
Contraindications for platelet transfusion
TTP, DIC, and/or newly diagnosed HIT are strong relative contraindications for platelet transfusion.
In TTP and HIT you can consider trying transfusion in cases of life threatening bleeding.
One unit of blood increases the Hgb and Hct by __.
One unit of platelets increases the platelet count by __.
One unit of blood increases the Hgb by 1.0 g/dL and Hct by 3%.
One unit of platelets increases the platelet count by 30,000 - 60,000 / uL.
These numbers are based on a 70 kg individual and will be lower in an individual greater than 70 kg.
Survival of transfused platelets
Generally 3-5 days
May be reduced by medications, anti-HLA antibodies, hypersplenism, DIC, and infection
HLA antibody-mediated refractoriness is unlikely if . . .
. . . there is an increase in platelet count > 15,000/uL in the 10 minutes to 1 hour following transfusion.
Indications for plasma transfusion
Correcting coagulopathy associated with multiple factor deficiencies or warfarin reversal in a patient with 1) clinically significant bleeding or 2) facing hemostatic challenge.
However, in immediately life threatening warfarin-induced bleeding, a 4-factor Prothrombin complex conentrate (Kcentra) is a superior first-line choice.
One unit of plasma contains ____
One unit of plasma contains 200-250 mL of plasma
For which conditions are specific clotting factor concentrates indicated?
- Hemophilia A (Factor VIII def)
- Hemophilia B (Factor IX def)
- von Willebrand’s (vWF def)
- Congenital Antithrombin-III deficiency












