We have always given our thal patients fresh, group specific blood in our facility. Recently I have heard that hospitals in another region are also washing the blood x3. What is the rationale behind this and how many of you do this?

Thanks

We have always given our thal patients fresh, group specific blood in our facility. Recently I have heard that hospitals in another region are also washing the blood x3. What is the rationale behind this and how many of you do this?

Thanks

I don't know (obviously, as I live in England), but I would think this is to try to prevent sensitisation to HLA antigens; it is much cheaper, and just as effective to leukodeplete.

We haven't had any thalessemia patients in my current facility. In the one I was at in Texas (OK, it was *years* ago...) we were not washing blood for thalessemia.

We don't routinely wash red cells, unless requested by the physician. This would most likely be a preventive measure or recommended for patients that have experienced allergic or febrile non-hemolytic reactions in the past.