[Transfusion incidents reports of grade zero: a national and descriptive analysis upon two years of practical survey]

A grade zero transfusion incident is defined as an inappropriate transfusion of blood component due to one or several failures without immediate clinical or biological consequences for the recipient. Two years after the setting up of the mandatory notification of these incidents, Afssaps haemovigilance unit performed a first descriptive national analysis of the data collected in years 2003 and 2004 at the national level. This analysis was based on one part on computarised e-Fit national database and on the other part on investigation results documents and additional surveys set up by the network professionals. From a quantitative point of view, this study reveals differences in notification as well as in the type of analysis from one region to another. Quantitatively, 45% of grade zero transfusion incidents correspond to attribution errors. The site of origin of grade zero incidents is for almost 73% linked to health establishment, clinical unit or hospital blood bank, and for almost 23% linked to blood establishment. Complete analysis has notably shown that 9% of the incidents are due to errors in blood component prescription. This descriptive analysis, which identifies recurrent failure and critical points originating from non-appropriated transfusions, should constitute the starting point of a reflection aiming at optimising and standardising methods of analysis of grade zero transfusion incidents and at elaborating suggestions to better control critical points.