Which testing scenario includes a general antibody screen but does not attempt crossmatching for donor cells in urgent transfusion?

Which testing scenario includes a general antibody screen but does not attempt crossmatching for donor cells in urgent transfusion?

• A. Type and screen
• B. Type and cross
• C. Blood typing only
• D. Antibody screen only

Answer: (A)

In urgent transfusion, you want to know the patient’s blood type and whether any unexpected antibodies are present, but you may delay the final donor crossmatch to avoid delaying life-saving transfusion. This is exactly what a type and screen provides: determine ABO and Rh type and perform an antibody screen to detect alloantibodies, without performing a donor crossmatch at that moment. If the antibody screen is negative, you can proceed with transfusion using compatible units and arrange crossmatching as time allows. If antibodies are detected, you would need antigen-negative donor units. The other options don’t fit because one lacks antibody screening, another lacks typing, and the other includes crossmatching, which is what you’re avoiding in this urgent scenario.

In urgent transfusion, you want to know the patient’s blood type and whether any unexpected antibodies are present, but you may delay the final donor crossmatch to avoid delaying life-saving transfusion. This is exactly what a type and screen provides: determine ABO and Rh type and perform an antibody screen to detect alloantibodies, without performing a donor crossmatch at that moment.

If the antibody screen is negative, you can proceed with transfusion using compatible units and arrange crossmatching as time allows. If antibodies are detected, you would need antigen-negative donor units.

The other options don’t fit because one lacks antibody screening, another lacks typing, and the other includes crossmatching, which is what you’re avoiding in this urgent scenario.