Washed blood for Thalassemia patients?

[younglau]

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

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[Malcolm Needs]

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.

[adiescast]

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.

[marquij@caribe.net]

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.