Hemostasis Today
NewsFeed
Headlines Hematology Health Medicine VTE ASH Plasma Donation
October, 2026
October 2026
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
Sumyea Kabir: Optimizing Plasma Selection for Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in TTP
AI generated
Oct 4, 2026, 13:35

Sumyea Kabir: Optimizing Plasma Selection for Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in TTP

Sumyea Kabir, Assistant Professor at Zainul Haque Sikder Women’s Medical College and Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“O-negative patient plus TTP plus Plasma exchange.

Does every plasma donor need to be O-negative?

  • Scenario: 27-year-old ICU patient
  • Suspected: TTP
  • Treatment: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE)
  • Challenge: Multiple sessions requiring large volumes of plasma

The practical question: If the patient is O-negative, must all plasma donors also be O-negative?

Component-Specific Compatibility.

RBCs

  • Donor RBCs are transfused – ABO and RhD compatibility matter.

Plasma

  • Plasma contains antibodies, not a significant mass of donor RBCs.
  • ABO compatibility is the major consideration.
  • RhD matching is generally not required for FFP.

Therefore, an O-negative patient does not automatically require O-negative FFP.

What about O-positive FFP?

  • Properly prepared FFP contains only minimal residual RBCs.
  • RhD-positive FFP can generally be considered for an RhD-negative recipient when clinically appropriate and permitted by local policy.
  • Absolute zero residual RBCs cannot be guaranteed.

How can RBC contamination be minimized?

  • Follow a validated component-preparation SOP
  • Use validated centrifugation parameters
  • Avoid disturbing the RBC–plasma interface
  • Control plasma expression carefully
  • Inspect components before issue
  • Quarantine/investigate units with suspected significant RBC contamination

Avoid arbitrary rules such as a ’20 mL rule’ unless validated for the specific bag system and preparation method.

Why is this important in TTP?

  • TTP can be rapidly life-threatening.
  • TPE may require substantial volumes of replacement plasma.
  • Timely access to compatible plasma is critical.
  • O-negative donors are relatively uncommon.
  • Unnecessarily restricting plasma donors may make urgent component availability more difficult.

Take-Home message

  • Blood group ≠ identical component requirement
  • RBC compatibility ≠ plasma compatibility
  • O-negative patient ≠ automatically O-negative FFP
  • RhD-positive FFP may be acceptable for an RhD-negative recipient
  • Select compatibility according to the component being transfused
  • Always follow validated SOPs and local transfusion policy
  • Coordinate closely with haematology, apheresis and transfusion teams during urgent TPE.

References

  • ISTH Guidelines – TTP
  • ISTH 2025 Focused Update – TTP, J Thromb Haemost. 2025
  • Canadian Blood Services

A useful reminder: Select the right component, apply the right compatibility principle, and avoid unnecessary barriers to urgent treatment.”

Sumyea Kabir: Optimizing Plasma Selection for Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in TTP

Stay updated with Hemostasis Today.

 

ABO Compatibility FFP Health Hematology Hemostasis Hemostasis News Hemostasis Today Medicine O-negative Sumyea Kabir Therapeutic Plasma Exchange TTP
NewsFeed