[Rh Control]

So how many out there use Rh control during blood typing? We have always used it with every typing. Our anti-D reagent is monoclonal. I just got word that our Rh control is being discontinued, so wondering if we need to continue this practice.

Any guidance is appreciated.

We manufacture a Monoclonal Control for our Anti-D reagents because the protein concentration is considerably higher than in ABO reagents, which are not usually controlled with a reagent containing all the other ingredients except the monoclonal antibody which is missing.

Therefore the correct results from ABO grouping should NOT be used as any indication for Rh testing as the composition of the reagents is quite different.

[Saline incubation...why is this SOP still allowed?]

Well, that's mighty nice of you to suggest busy work for me RRavkin. My question relates to literature in the past half century. Surely, in the 67 years since its introduction, someone has made a comparison of the saline incubation technique to other methods. If not, then that speaks favorably toward tradition but is not so flattering toward the upper echelon in blood banking. Believe I'll take this SOP question up with the AABB folks and possibly CBBS. Hopefully I'll get a response directly pertaining to "papers" and "research". If not, then the answer will finally be clear.

I worked in two UK Blood Transfusion reference centres (Bristol and Cambridge) prior to Ross & Ducie publishing anything on enhancement solutions like LISS for IAT. The standard technique for both antibody identification and then cross-match was one hour at 37oC for IAT. If they needed blood quicker and couldn't wait then use O neg...