The transfusion needs of an autologous bone marrow transplant patient withIgA deficiency

BACKGROUND: Transfusion management of the patient who is undergoing a marro w or peripheral blood stem and progenitor cell transplantation is often cha llenging. The situation is further complicated when the patient is IgA defi cient with circulating anti-IgA. CASE REPORT: This report describes an approach to transfusion therapy prima rily using red cells washed by automated techniques and cryopreserved autol ogous plateletpheresis components. Additional platelet support was provided with manually washed allogeneic plateletpheresis components. Autologous fr esh-frozen plasma was collected concurrently, and IgA-deficient allogeneic units were ordered and kept in storage, but they were not needed during tra nsplantation. The patient experienced no transfusion sequelae as a result o f the IgA deficiency. CONCLUSION: With this approach, the transfusion needs of an IgA-deficient p atient were adequately met during bone marrow transplantation.