Question

Which one of the following statements is correct with regard to the principle of safe blood transtusion? (a) The donor's red blood corpuscles should not contain antibodies against the recipient's serum. (b) The recipient's serum should not contain antigens against the donor's antibodies. (c) The recipient's serum should not contain the antibodies against the red blood corpuscles of the donor. (d) The recipient's red blood corpuscles should not contain antibodies against the donor's antigen.

Short answer

The correct statement regarding safe blood transfusion is (c) 'The recipient's serum should not contain the antibodies against the red blood corpuscles of the donor'.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Blood Transfusion Compatibility

To ensure a safe blood transfusion, it is crucial that the recipients do not have antibodies in their serum that would attack the red blood cells (RBCs) of the donor. This would cause agglutination and hemolysis, leading to a potentially fatal transfusion reaction.

Determine the Correct Statement

Reviewing each statement, the goal is to identify the one that aligns with the compatibility principle described in Step 1. Statements (a), (b), and (d) incorrectly suggest the risk is with the presence of donor antibodies or recipient antigens which is not the typical concern during transfusions.

Identify the Correct Choice

Choice (c) 'The recipient's serum should not contain the antibodies against the red blood corpuscles of the donor' correctly describes the need to prevent the recipient's immune system from attacking the donated blood cells, which is the basis for safe blood transfusion practices.

Key concepts

Blood Transfusion Compatibility

Ensuring blood transfusion compatibility is a critical aspect of a safe blood transfusion. This process involves matching the donor's blood type with the recipient's to prevent adverse reactions.

Every individual has a specific blood type determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens on the surface of their red blood cells (RBCs) and antibodies in the serum. The main blood groups are A, B, AB, and O, and each group can be positive or negative based on the presence of the Rh factor. The compatibility between the donor and recipient is crucial because the recipient's immune system may perceive the donor's RBCs as foreign if they bear antigens not present in the recipient, triggering a harmful immune response.

To avoid such reactions, medical practitioners perform cross-matching tests before transfusions. They mix a small sample of the recipient's serum with the donor's RBCs to check for agglutination or hemolysis, which would indicate incompatibility. Therefore, a compatible transfusion requires a donor whose RBCs do not have antigens that the recipient's antibodies will attack.

Antibodies in Blood Transfusion

Antibodies play a significant role in the safety of blood transfusions. Antibodies are proteins in the blood that detect and bind to specific antigens on foreign cells, such as bacteria, viruses, and incompatible blood cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system.

In the context of blood transfusions, the primary concern is ensuring that the recipient's serum does not contain antibodies against the antigens on the donor's RBCs. For example, if a person with type A blood, which contains anti-B antibodies, receives type B blood, their anti-B antibodies will attack the type B donor cells, leading to disastrous consequences.

Before a transfusion, a healthcare provider will conduct blood type testing and an antibody screen to ensure the recipient does not have unexpected antibodies that could react with the donor's RBCs. These tests reduce the risk of transfusion-related complications and are a vital part of the pre-transfusion evaluation.

Agglutination and Hemolysis

Agglutination and hemolysis are two critical reactions that must be avoided in blood transfusions for them to be safe. Agglutination occurs when antibodies in the recipient's blood bind to the antigens on the donor's RBCs, causing the cells to clump together. This clumping can block small blood vessels and disrupt blood flow.

Hemolysis refers to the destruction or breaking down of RBCs, which can release harmful substances into the bloodstream. When RBCs are hemolyzed, the released hemoglobin can cause kidney damage and other systemic complications.

During the pre-transfusion testing phase, a compatibility test known as a 'crossmatch' is used to detect these reactions in a controlled environment before any blood is transfused to the patient. If agglutination or hemolysis is observed, it indicates that the donor's blood is not compatible with the recipient's, and the transfusion should not proceed. By understanding and preventing these reactions, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the risks associated with blood transfusions.