List the potential problems resulting from blood transfusion and methods used to
minimise them.
This question required a broad answer. It was generally well answered. Those candidates who scored well had a good structure to their answers e.g. grouping potential electrolyte disturbances together, and infectious risks together etc. and including methods used to minimise these risks in appropriate detail.
Complication | Management strategy |
Acute hemolytic transfusion reactions |
|
Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions |
|
Allergic reaction to blood products |
|
Tranfusion-associated lung injury |
|
Transfusion-associated circulatory overload |
|
Bacterial sepsis |
|
Hypocalcemia due to citrate |
|
Hyperkalemia due to high PRBC K+ content |
|
Acidosis |
|
Hypothermia |
|
Dilutional coagulopathy |
|
Dilutional thrombocytopenia |
|
Delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions |
|
Transfusion-related immune modulation |
|
Microchimerism |
|
Transfusion-transmitted diseases |
|
Posttransfusion graft-vs-host disease |
|
Posttransfusion purpura |
|
NZBLOOD Transfusion Medicine Handbook (2008)
Bux, Jürgen, and Ulrich JH Sachs. "The pathogenesis of transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI)." British journal of haematology 136.6 (2007): 788-799.
Fontaine, Magali J., et al. "Diagnosis of transfusion-related acute lung injury: TRALI or not TRALI?." Annals of Clinical & Laboratory Science 36.1 (2006): 53-58.
Kleinman, Steven, et al. "Toward an understanding of transfusion‐related acute lung injury: statement of a consensus panel." Transfusion 44.12 (2004): 1774-1789.
Gajic, Ognjen, Michael A. Gropper, and Rolf D. Hubmayr. "Pulmonary edema after transfusion: how to differentiate transfusion-associated circulatory overload from transfusion-related acute lung injury." Critical care medicine 34.5 (2006): S109-S113.
Vincent, E. Chris, and Tracy Willett. "Post-Transfusion Purpura." The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 4.3 (1991): 175-177.