bloodybanker

SMILLER, would you happen to know the manufacturer product code/number for those Polymedco tubes? I went to Ploymedco's web page and I don't even see the Sedimat listed on there. I'm afraid that they are going to discontinue it! Thanks Christina

tburl - Thanks especially for the documents! I haven't gotten a chance to read them yet, but will sortly!

Thanks everyone for your responses! I completely agree with all statements made. I feel much better now. I just need to talk to our lead tech about this. That should be fun! One other question. What was going on with Immucor? They were having manufacturing problems? (Is that why their supply was so low back in Jan/Feb/Mar?) We had what looked like a good bit of false positives on one certain cell, on one certain lot. This happened on at least 2 different lot numbers to us. Nothing recently though. I assume that they have sorted it out. Maybe. Thanks so much for the input!!!

Hello to my fellow techs! Glad to have found this group. I have a strong blood bank background having worked in busy transfusion centers/hospitals, but am now working in a small hospital lab that has a very small workload. The lead tech here doesn't even have a lot of experience. About 3 years ago, right when I began working here, the blood bank moved from gel to solid phase. The ECHO has been our primary method since then. At the beginning, we did not know what was causing what we now call a solid phase dependent antibody (all cells positive in solid phase, neg in tube.) My understanding is that it most likely an HLA antibody? Can someone confirm this for me? Reacting to RBC stroma that is not normally exposed on the cell surface? (Never worked with solid phase before I came here.) I'm not sure I agree with our lead tech on some issues. I just do not think she graps all blood bank theory 100% (She thinks that a patient's ag type can change...) My current concern with the solid phase dependent antibodies is the fact that she is telling me that "SPDA may be weakly positive on 1 cell also." Meaning, one cell is weakly positive (2+ or less according to her) and the other 2 cells are negative. If this same specimen is negative in tube and has a negative DAT, then it is a SPDA. I want to know how one can tell if it is not really clinically significant. The patient may be producing a new antibody that solid phase is picking up but tube (PeG or LISS) cannot. (Because solid phase is more sensitive, right?) If this is the case, and all antigens are rulled out due to nonspecific reactions, I think they need to be given solid phase, crossmatch compatible blood. Can someone comment on this and let me know if I'm way off base? Also, does anyone know of any scientific articles written concerning SPDAs and their source? Thanks! I'm so glad to have other blood bankers to bounce ideas off of!