What is the primary purpose of crossmatching donor RBCs with recipient plasma?

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Multiple Choice

What is the primary purpose of crossmatching donor RBCs with recipient plasma?

Crossmatching is about finding antibodies in the recipient that could attack the donor’s red blood cells. Even with correct ABO matching, there are many other red cell antigens (beyond ABO) that a recipient might have antibodies against. If the recipient plasma contains such antibodies, they can bind to donor RBC antigens and cause a hemolytic transfusion reaction. The major crossmatch tests donor red cells with the recipient’s plasma; if there is no reaction, the unit is considered compatible. This is why the primary purpose is to ensure there are no antibodies in recipient plasma to donor RBCs. Other choices aren’t the focus here: determining the complete RBC antigen phenotype is about identifying which antigens are present on cells, not about checking for recipient antibodies against donor cells; sterilizing donor blood is about sterility, not transfusion compatibility; and while ABO compatibility is essential, crossmatching goes beyond ABO to detect non-ABO antibodies that could still cause a reaction.

Crossmatching is about finding antibodies in the recipient that could attack the donor’s red blood cells. Even with correct ABO matching, there are many other red cell antigens (beyond ABO) that a recipient might have antibodies against. If the recipient plasma contains such antibodies, they can bind to donor RBC antigens and cause a hemolytic transfusion reaction. The major crossmatch tests donor red cells with the recipient’s plasma; if there is no reaction, the unit is considered compatible. This is why the primary purpose is to ensure there are no antibodies in recipient plasma to donor RBCs.

Other choices aren’t the focus here: determining the complete RBC antigen phenotype is about identifying which antigens are present on cells, not about checking for recipient antibodies against donor cells; sterilizing donor blood is about sterility, not transfusion compatibility; and while ABO compatibility is essential, crossmatching goes beyond ABO to detect non-ABO antibodies that could still cause a reaction.

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