STRATEGY FOR OPEN HEART SURGERY IN A NON-CROSS MATCHABLE BLOOD SCENARIO

Open Heart Surgery & Non-Cross Matchable Blood Scenario

Abstract

To date thirty-three different blood group systems (including the ABO and Rh systems) have so far been recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT)1. The commonest is ABO followed by the Rhesus (D) system. Rare blood groups are also present in a very small proportion of population and so are occasionally encountered in clinical practice2. To name a few of these rare groups are MNS, P, Lutheran, Kell, Lewis, Duffy, Kidd, Diego, Colton, Cromer, Dombroch and Gerbich3.