The Utility of ABO Testing in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery

Background: Patients for elective operation often undergo routine ABO/Rh type and screening test for potential need of transfusion. Some institutions require double verification of ABO/Rh type. We evaluated the clinical practice pattern of performing ABO/Rh type and screening test in pediatric patients undergoing elective operation. Methods: Electronic medical records from pediatric patients who underwent elective surgery between June 2006 and June 2010 were retrieved. The frequency of ABO/Rh type and screening test and the incidence of packed red blood cell (pRBC) request and pRBC dispatch from the blood bank among those tested were analyzed by year and the surgical department. Results: Of the 23,631 patients, the incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening was 32.2%, and pRBC was dispatched in 37.9% of these patients. The incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening varied between 1.5% and 97.9% among surgical departments and also within the surgical departments depending on the type of surgery. The incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening showed a decreasing trend over the study period. Conclusions: There was significant variability among and within the surgical departments in the incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening in children undergoing elective surgery. A tailored approach may be beneficial to the patient in terms of comfort and cost.