Has anyone been able to adapt a third-party reagent for ristocetin onto a Stago STAR-E or Compact? If so, would you be willing to share your experience with the product, validation procedure, etc? Please feel free to reply off-line if you so desire, and thank you in advance, Dorothy Zdanowicz, Chemistry/Coagulation Supervisor Englewood Hospital & […]

George, Our lab participates in both CAP CGE and NASCOLA ECAT proficiency challenges. One of those assays, von Willebrand factor ristocetin cofactor (VWF:RCo) activity by the agglutination method, is difficult to judge in terms of performance. When looking at results, what is acceptable for criteria? I usually look for ±2 SD for other tests. Sometimes […]

Jose DeJesus‘ November 9 question about providing plasma to an AB patientbecame a dinner-table discussion at my house. You may think, “What a sad, dull existence–a two-MLS family,” however, we’ve turned up some interesting information by communicating with acquaintances at three institutions. First, if you can give incompatible platelet concentrate, why not incompatible plasma? There are […]

George spoke with Jose DeJesus, MS, MLS, transfusion service manager for DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In the past year, Jose has managed three warfarin overdose patients with acute hemorrhage who were blood group AB. The worldwide prevalence of group AB is 5.6%, and despite special AB plasma donor programs, AB donor plasma is in chronic short supply. AB […]

The Northwest Medical Laboratory Symposium is planned for October 12–15 in the Lynnwood Convention Center, Lynnwood Washington, just north of Seattle. On Friday, October 14, George will speak on “Hemophilia Therapy: From Rasputin to Recombinants,”8:30–10, and “The Top Ten Problems in the Coagulation Laboratory,” 2–3:30. The handouts for these presentations are available for registrants from the NWMLS web site, and are also […]

Hi George! As always, I enjoy this educational resource very much! My question is: Why do healthy women who experience post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) seem to “autocorrect” their coagulopathy with very little help from component therapy? I have noted that once the bleeding site has been tended to, the patient requires relatively little support with factor/fibrinogen […]

Good Afternoon, I am researching several medications and trying to find patient resources for the following medications. Advate Alphanate Alphanine S Auto Pleas T I’m looking for resources such as online support, medication reimbursement, nurse’s avail to answer questions for members, etc. Are you able to direct me to any websites where I may find […]