24 March 2023 (Friday) - Band Forms

 

“Band forms” are immature neutrophils… judged by many as “an American thing”.

Here’s an interesting article. Counting them would seem to be rather important. However…  counting them involves a lot of staff time. In the new world order of recruitment problems and staff shortages is this a practical proposition?

21 march 2023 (Tuesday) - BTLP-TACT Exercise

I did a BTLP-TACT exercise last night…

 

79723 – a fifty six year old woman in theatre requiring six units of blood tomorrow for aortic aneurysm repair.

 

She grouped as O Rh(D) Positive with antibody screen positive in cells 1 and 3. I requested antibody panels.

 

The IAT panel was positive in cells 1, 3, 6, 9 and 10 and negative in all other cells, and the enzyme panel was negative in all cells. In reality this corresponds with anti-Fy(a) but not excluding anti-Cw. In this scenario the lack of reaction by enzyme excludes anti Cw.

 

I selected six units of O Pos Fy(a) neg K neg – five non irradiated, one irradiated

 

 

01278 -  a twenty nine year old woman in out patients with ITP requiring group & save

 

She grouped as A Rh(D) Positive with a positive antibody screen in cell 2. I requested antibody panels.

 

The IAT panel was positive in cells 3 and 5 and negative in all others as was the enzyme panel, corresponding with anti-E

 

I got the green light… That was hard work…

20 March 2023 (Monday) - NEQAS Morphology

 

I got hold of the most recent morphology NEQAS result today.

2301 BF1

I said  Target cells Nucleated Rbc Polychromasia Spherocytes Thrombocytopenia

Top Ten Consensus Target Cells Polychromatic Cells Nucleated RBCs Irregularly Contracted Cells Stomatocytes Thrombocytopenia Spherocytes Microcytes Other Rbc Comment - please specify Large/Giant Platelets

I felt this was a thalassaemia. It was HbC disease with thalassaemia.

 

 2301 BF2

I said Target cells (not so many as BF1) Sickle cells Nucleated red cells Anisopoikilocytosis Howell-Jolly Bodies

Top Ten Consensus Target Cells Sickle Cells Howell-Jolly Bodies Nucleated RBCs Polychromatic Cells Fragments/Schistocytes Poikilocytes Large/Giant Platelets Elliptocytes Hypochromic Cells

I felt this was a case of sickle cell disease. It was…

20 March 2023 (Monday) - NEQAS Parasitology

 

I got hold of the most recent parasitology NEQAS result today.

 

2301 PA1 was a thick film which I said was parasite-free.

It was.

 2301 PA2 was a case of P. falciparum with parasitaemia less than 0.1% which I correctly identified.

 

I’m feeling rather pleased with myself about this…