Blood Transfusion

Extra notes from HESI book

Blood classification
Major blood groups: A, B, AB, and O
a. Blood compatibility and systems of classification are based on the presence or
absence of specific antigens present on RBCs, as well as specific antibodies in the
plasma.
b. There are two antigens, or agglutinable substances, present on RBCs: A and B.
(1) Neither antigen is present in O.
(2) A is present in A.
(3) B is present in B.
(4) A and B are present in AB.

There are two antibodies present in the plasma: anti-A and anti-B.
(1) Both antibodies are present in O.
(2) Anti-B is present in A.
(3) Anti-A is present in B.
(4) Neither is present in AB.

d. If the antigen A on the RBCs of the donors comes in contact with the antibody A of
the recipient and vice versa, agglutination and clumping will occur (e.g., type A blood
transfused into type B recipient).
e. O negative is called the universal donor because there are no antigens on the RBCs,
and the Rh factor is not present.
f. AB positive is called the universal recipient because there are no antibodies in the
serum, and the Rh factor is present.
g. In agglutination and clumping of RBCs, hemolysis occurs; hemolysis releases
hemoglobin into the plasma.
h. Problems occur with the destruction of the donors RBCs by the plasma of the
recipients cells.

Rh factor
a. Rh factor is present on the RBC.
b. Rh is positive, or factor is present, in 85% to 95% of the population.
c. Rh is negative, or factor is absent, in 5% to 15% of the population.
d. Normal plasma does not contain Rh antibodies.
Antibodies are formed in Rh-negative blood if transfused with Rh-positive blood; thus
the recipient
is sensitized to the Rh factor and subsequent Rh-positive blood might result in a severe
transfusion reaction.
e. Problems of sensitization occur in the newborn when the mother is Rh negative and
the infant is Rh positive