An Analysis of the Reasons for Blood Component Returns

Oh, Deok Ja; Kim, Jong Hoon

Abstract

BACKGROUD: The blood component should not be issued for transfusion if there is any abnormality in color or physical appearance, or any indication of contamination. During 3 years (1999-2001), 1,041 blood components were returned to Central Red Cross Blood Center from the hospitals because of various reasons. We Analyzed the frequency and reasons of blood component returns for the useful information of blood supply plan.
METHODS
Each blood component return in the Blood Component Return Report from 1999 through 2001 was examined for the number of units and return reasons.
RESULTS
For 3 years, the total number of supplied blood components were 1,203,573 units and 1,041 (0.09%) of them were returned from 26 hospitals. The most common reason of return was broken bag or pilot tube (70.9%). Other reasons were fibrin(or precipitates) in bag (3.0%), clots in pilot tube (2.9%), turbid plasma (1.8%), hemolysis (0.5%), icteric plasma (0.3%), label errors (1.1%), incompatible cross matching (0.2%) and others (0.7%). Also there were blood returns due to poor handling of blood components in hospital (1.9%) and reasons unrelated to blood safety, purity and potency such as rare blood (5.8%), exchange for fresh blood (9.8%) and unused blood (1.2%). The most commonly returned blood component was plasma component (69.5% of units)
CONCLUSION
The final product should be inspected prior to issue with more strict standard. And the proper system for assurance of returned normal blood components from hospitals must be applied for efficient blood utilization.