Specimen Requirements

This test must be scheduled in advance with Perfusion for outpatient transfusions.

Ordering Information: Call Transfusion Services at ext. 7395 to confirm all special requests.

Autologous or Directed Units—to donate autologous or directed units, contact Blood Bank of Delmarva at 410-749-4161.

CMV-Negative Blood—enter “CMV-negative product requested” in comment field. Requires 6 to 24 hours to procure from supplier. One CMV-negative O negative red cell unit that is ≤7 days old is generally available at all times for pediatrics. Many experts consider leuko-reduced red blood cells to be equivalent to CMV-negative red blood cells.

Irradiated Blood—enter “irradiated product requested” in comment field. This may require 6 to 24 hours to procure from supplier. (A small inventory of O pos and O neg is generally on hand.)

Leukopoor Blood—no special order is necessary, all units are leuko-reduced prior to storage.

Note: All units are issued as leuko-reduced packed red blood cells, with volume shown on the tag; whole blood is not available.

Specimen Required

Specimen can only be drawn by Peninsula Regional Medical Center staff or Kidney Dialysis Unit at Deers Head Center.

Draw specimen as follows:

1. A Transfusion Services recipient red armband must be placed on patient after proper and positive identification and prior to specimen draw. See Transfusion Services Recipient Armbands in Transfusion Services in Special Instructions for additional details.

2. Draw blood in a large, pink-top K₂ EDTA tube, and send 6 mL of K₂ EDTA whole blood.

3. Clotted or hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.

4. Label specimen with the 4-digit Transfusion Services recipient red armband number, patient's first and last name, medical record number, time of collection and phlebotomist’s initials.

5. Patient identification armband and Transfusion Services recipient red armband must remain on patient until blood infusion is complete.

Note: 1. Indicate number of units.

2. If patient has already had a Type and Screen (TYSC) performed in the last 3 days, call Transfusion Services to request a conversion to a Crossmatch. This conversion only takes minutes if patient has no history of antibodies. If additional units are needed to be crossmatched during the 3 days before crossmatch expires, call Transfusion Services.

3. If patient has a positive antibody screen, antibody identification must be performed, and when appropriate units will be antigen tested and/or crossmatched before being issued as “compatible.” This can take additional time of up to 48 hours.

4. Crossmatched (allocated) units are released at 0100 the third day after the order is placed.

5. Transfusion Services will order a type recheck if indicated. Only Transfusions Services can initiate this test. A different phlebotomist will draw this specimen. Patients in surgery who need a recheck will be drawn by surgery staff.