The type and antibody screen, revisited

The type and antibody screen is a safe, economical substitute for "routine" two-unit crossmatch in those elective surgical procedures rarely necessitating blood transfusion. This report confirms a previous finding that the type and antibody screen is 99.99% effective in preventing the transfusion of incompatible blood. The type and antibody screen is even safer than the stated 99.99%, when the immediate spin, saline and albumin procedures (the initial portion of the authors' complete crossmatch) are performed prior to releasing blood in an emergency situation. The immediate spin procedures not only verify the ABO compatibility but also detect any high-titer antibodies directed against low-incidence antigens that might not have been present on the screening reagent erythrocytes. The use of the type and antibody screen is applicable only in those medical facilities that have moderate reserves of blood readily available for transfusion.