Transfusion in ABO-Incompatible Solid Organ Transplantation

ABO-incompatible solid organ transplantation (ABOi TPL) is a widely accepted treatment option for treating end-stage renal or liver diseases. Although the appropriate selection of the ABO blood group for transfusion is a key step for successful ABOi TPL, there are no evidence-based guidelines to cope with this issue. In this letter, we suggest appropriate blood selection criteria for ABOi TPL based on the basic principles of ABO incompatibility. For major mismatched ABOi TPL, red blood cells (RBCs) should be of the organ recipient’s ABO group, while platelets (PLTs) and plasma products should be of the donor’s ABO group. For the bidirectional mismatched cases, it is desirable to select recipient type RBCs and group AB PLTs and plasma products. (Korean J Blood Transfus 2020;31:70-72)