Issuing of blood components dispensed in syringes and bar code-based pretransfusion check at the bedside for pediatric patients

Abstract

Background: The pretransfusion check at the bedside is the most critical step for the prevention of mistransfusion in pediatric patients, as well as in adults. The objective of this study was to assess whether a bar code-based patient-blood unit identification system could be applied to the pretransfusion check at the bedside for the issuing of blood dispensed in syringes.

Study design and methods: The issuing of blood components dispensed in syringes and the bar code-based pretransfusion check at the bedside were initiated for pediatric patients in May 2003. The number of blood components transfused to pediatric patients and rate of compliance with electronic bedside verification for blood dispensed in syringes were determined. Several variables in blood samples that were freshly collected, irradiated, split into 20-mL aliquots, and stored in syringes at 4 degrees C were measured.

Results: Between May 2003 and April 2007, a total of 3957 blood components (10% of all transfusions) were administered to pediatric patients without a single mistransfusion, of which 871 (22%) were issued by dispensing in syringes. The compliance rate with electronic bedside verification for blood dispensed in syringes was 99%. The supernatant potassium concentrations and extracellular free hemoglobin in blood samples stored in syringes at 4 degrees C for 24 hours were 14 +/- 1.3 mmol/L and less than 0.3 g/L, respectively, and these were considered to be acceptable for transfusion to pediatric patients.

Conclusion: The bar code-based identification system that we used was fully applicable to the pretransfusion check at the bedside for blood dispensed in syringes.