Transfusion Medicine – Blood Bank

Most pathologists would agree that the transfusion medicine department of their laboratory is the most challenging area to manage. This department is the area where blood products such as red cells, platelets and plasma are examined and processed before they are given (transfused) to patients. Before any blood product is transfused to a patient, the patient’s blood must undergo rigorous testing for not only an accurate blood type but also for the presence of any proteins (antibodies) in their blood that may interact with any blood products they are given. It is crucial to perform the pre-transfusion testing in a methodical and precise manner since if the results are not accurate, they could result in devastating consequences to the patient who is being transfused. The transfusion medicine/blood bank technologist should have constant communication with the pathologist especially in those patients that have complex antibodies in their blood.