Objective: To perform a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify the cause for Acute Haemolytic Transfusion Reaction (AHTR) in five patients who received red cell transfusions.Background: The occurrence of red coloured urine following blood transfusion carries the possibility of an immune or non-immune mediated haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR). Non-immune haemolysis can be due to thermal, osmotic, or mechanical injury to red blood cells. The authors report five cases of non-immune HTR that occurred in surgical patients in the peri-operative period.Methods: AHTR was reported to the Transfusion Medicine Department, in five patients who underwent surgery and received a blood transfusion in the peri-operative period. Transfusion reaction workup and RCA were performed to identify the cause for AHTR. Results:The initial presentation was red coloured urine and suspicion of an immune HTR. Immunohaematology workup ruled out an immune mediated haemolysis and further analysis revealed the possibility of mechanical red cell destruction in all these cases. Conclusion:Multiple factors can result in non-immune destruction of red cells. Possibility of non-immune haemolysis should be considered while evaluating haemolytic transfusion reactions.

BACKGROUND: Leukocytes are responsible for producing both immune and nonimmune adverse reactions, and therefore, various methods have been developed to remove them from the blood components before transfusion. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the quality parameters in leukoreduced red cell concentrates (RCCs) and investigate the efficiency of leukocyte removal and red cell recovery in the leukoreduction methods followed in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study evaluated the quality parameters in 112 RCCs prepared using buffy-coat reduction by the Terumo automatic component extractor II+ system, manual saline washing, and leukofiltration using the Leucolab filter system. RESULTS: With analysis, leukofiltration was found to be the most efficient in reducing leukocyte content in RCCs, achieving a mean leukoreduction of 99.99%. Buffy-coat reduction and saline washing achieved a leukoreduction of 78.54% and 82.67%, respectively. While filtration showed the least red cell recovery of 81.93% compared to 90.57% in buffy-coat reduction and 91.87% in saline washing methods. An analysis of hemoglobin content showed that none of the buffy-coat removed RCCs processed from 350-ml collections and underwent poststorage leukofiltration could meet the European Standards for minimum hemoglobin content. CONCLUSION: Filtration is found to be the better method for leukoreduction of RCCs. It is suggested to perform a single method of leukoreduction preferably leukofiltration for maximum red cell recovery.

The successful application of patient blood management approach in a 48-year-old neurosurgery patient planned for meningioma excision and requiring transfusion is described. The patient had multiple past immunizing events and developed antibody against a high-frequency antigen “e” of the Rh blood group system. With the joint effort from transfusion medicine specialist, anesthesiologist, and surgeon, the patient was successfully managed using the preoperative autologous blood donation program.

The World Health Organization and National Blood Transfusion Council, Government of India, advocate regular repeat nonremunerated voluntary blood donors as the safest of all donors to meet the blood requirements of the country. Recruitment and retention of individuals as voluntary blood donors requires the adoption of novel and varied strategies protecting the voluntary nonremunerated nature of blood donation. In this review article, we are focusing on how addressing the donor suggestions and concerns has created a win–win situation for blood donors and blood transfusion services.