Safety and efficacy of therapeutic plasma exchange in neuromyelitis optica: A retrospective study from South India.

Introduction: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an idiopathic demyelinating disorder characterized mainly by optic neuritis and myelitis, causing gradual loss of vision and deterioration of neurological function. The underlying pathogenesis mainly involves antibodies against aquaporin 4. The effectiveness of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been shown by many studies across the globe but are only a few from India.

Syncopal reactions in blood donors: Pathophysiology, clinical course, and features.

Vasovagal syncope (VVS) in donors is a transient loss of consciousness due to short-term global cerebral hypoperfusion, which has a rapid onset and has complete spontaneous recovery. VVS may be triggered by pain, fear, anxiety, or emotional upset and loss of blood perse. It is an exaggeration of an adaptive response meant to assist in reducing the amount of bleeding/loss of blood.

Simulation in the field of transfusion medicine: Scope and utility.

Simulation in medical education has made significant inroads in most of the specialties in some form or the other. Transfusion medicine, as a branch, being a new specialty, is imbibing a few things from the world of simulation and provides immense scope for its utilization, given its broad applicability as well as necessity. In the current Indian scenario of transfusion medicine, wherein the transfusion process has undergone significant changes involving critical steps, with fewer but can be serious complications arising due to the transfusion process, it is desirable for students and the staff involved to practice on the simulators to attain the desired level of competency as it allows the practice of hands-on invasive procedures before performing the actual process.

Evaluation of a scoring system for vein suitability in platelet apheresis donors.

Introduction: Donor vein assessment for the selection of good quality veins is crucial for a successful apheresis procedure. This study intends to find out the effectiveness of a vein assessment scoring tool (VST) used and found to be effective in selecting whole blood donors to reduce the difficulty in identifying good quality veins for the plateletpheresis procedure.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study on platelet apheresis donors with the application of a VST consisting of three vein descriptor parameters (vein visibility, vein palpability, and vein size) with 5 Likert-type responses constituting a score of 0-12 for each arm.

Blood component therapy in patients having massive obstetric hemorrhage in a tertiary care center in Puducherry.

Introduction: A proper transfusion protocol must be followed for every patient with massive obstetric hemorrhage (MOH), as each patient may need a different pattern of transfusion support. In this background, it is prudent to understand the current prevalent practices and devise preparatory strategies for managing blood requirements during such scenarios. This study helps us know the pattern and type of blood components given to patients with MOHs.

Quality assessment of platelet concentrates prepared by platelet-rich plasma, buffy-coat, and apheresis methods in a tertiary care hospital in South India: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: In blood banking and transfusion medicine, it is of paramount importance to improve transfusion safety and provide a higher quality of product to maximize the therapeutic outcomes and minimize the risk of developing transfusion-associated complications for patients receiving a blood transfusion.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the department of transfusion medicine in a tertiary care hospital of South India from February 2019 to December 2020. The primary objective of the study was to assess the quality of platelet concentrates (PC) prepared by platelet-rich plasma (PRP), buffy-coat (BC), and apheresis method.

Transfusion reactions in neonates and pediatrics: How and why are they different?

Neonates and children are physically as well as physiologically different from adults. They are immunologically vulnerable, and the effects of transfusion can be longstanding, including with respect to their development. The transfusion reactions in children differ from those in adults in the type of reactions, incidence, and severity.

Clinical significant anti-P1 antibody with wide thermal amplitude: A tale of successful blood management.

The P blood group system was introduced in 1927 by Landsteiner and Levine. About 75% of the population possesses P1 phenotype. P2 simply implies P1 negative and there is no P2 antigen.

Feasibility of high-yield plateletpheresis in routine practice: Experience from tertiary health center from South India.

Background And Objectives: High-yield plateletpheresis donations can reduce donor exposure and be economically beneficial as well. However, obtaining a high-yield plateletpheresis from a maximum number of donors with low basal platelet count and its effect on postdonation platelet count of donors undergoing high-yield plateletpheresis has been a matter of concern. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of making high-yield platelet donation as a routine practice.

Optimising platelet usage during the induction therapy of acute myeloid leukaemia: Impact of physician education.

Introduction: Platelet products are scarce and expensive resources to be used judiciously. However, inappropriate usage is common. Lack of physician awareness is an important issue.

Management of Bombay Rh negative with clinically significant anti-S for CABG surgery.

The Bombay Rh D negative is the rarest of the rare in blood groups. A 65-year-old male patient with coronary artery disease was admitted for CABG. During grouping, forward showed no agglutination in A, B, D, and H, and reverse showed agglutination in A, B, and O cell.

Assessment of iron status in regular blood donors in a tertiary care hospital in Southern India.

Background: Regular blood donation depletes iron stores. The assertion is that the vulnerable donor population requires a predictive standard operative procedure for early detection of iron store depletion, preventing them from developing iron-deficiency anemia.

Aim: This study aims to study the potential effects of blood donation in the regular donor group using hematological and biochemical estimation of iron status parameters.

Blood ordering and utilization in patients undergoing elective general surgery procedures in a tertiary care hospital: A prospective audit.

Background Blood ordering is commonly done for patients undergoing major elective surgery. Excessive order of the blood for elective surgery leads to wastage of resources, time and workforce. Auditing preoperative blood ordering decreases the cost of medical care by avoiding unnecessary cross-match without compromising patient safety.

Plerixafor use in autologous hematopoietic stem cell mobilization: Experience from a single center in Southern India.

Background: Plerixafor is used for patients at risk of Stem cell mobilization failure based on clinical factors or low peripheral blood CD34 count. It is also added upfront to any mobilization irrespective of risk factor, but the cost-effectiveness of the approach is an issue. Data on plerixafor in different settings of autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) collection from India are scant.

Factors associated with vasovagal reactions in whole blood donors: A case-control study.

Background: Vasovagal reactions to blood donation though generally mild and account for about 1% of donations, causes embarrassment/injury to the donors, lower likely return rates for future donations etc. The workforce hours devoted to attending to those who reacted can also affect the efficiency of the blood centre. There are various factors, both modifiable and nonmodifiable, involved in the causation of such reactions.