Crossmatching

Crossmatching is a laboratory test performed before a blood transfusion to determine if the donor's blood is compatible with the blood of an intended recipient. Crossmatching is used to prevent transfusion reactions, which can occur if the recipient's immune system attacks the donor blood cells, leading to potentially serious complications.

Process

The process of crossmatching involves mixing a sample of the recipient's serum with a sample of the donor's red blood cells. This is done in a test tube and then the mixture is incubated. If the recipient's serum contains antibodies that react with the antigens on the donor's red blood cells, the cells will clump together or hemolyze, indicating a positive crossmatch. A positive crossmatch means that the donor's blood is not compatible with the recipient's blood.

Types of Crossmatching

There are two types of crossmatching: major and minor. In a major crossmatch, the donor's red blood cells are tested against the recipient's serum. This is the most common type of crossmatch. In a minor crossmatch, the recipient's red blood cells are tested against the donor's serum. The minor crossmatch is not as commonly used because it is not as effective at predicting transfusion reactions.

Importance

Crossmatching is an important part of ensuring the safety of blood transfusions. It helps to prevent transfusion reactions, which can cause symptoms such as fever, chills, chest pain, back pain, and dark urine. In severe cases, transfusion reactions can lead to kidney failure, shock, and even death.

See Also

• Blood transfusion
• Antibodies
• Transfusion reactions

Crossmatching Resources
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