Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast

This episode explores the recognition and management of obstetric hemorrhage, with a focus on real-world, high-stakes scenarios that can evolve rapidly and unexpectedly. Through practical, evidence-based discussion, it highlights key risk factors, early warning signs, and the importance of coordinated, interprofessional response among obstetric, nursing, anesthesia, transfusion medicine, and laboratory teams.

Dr. Will Flanary is an ophthalmologist and stand-up comic who moonlights as the hilarious "Dr. Glaucomflecken" on social media. The Glaucomflecken videos have earned him an enormous worldwide following, as he has gently parodied physicians of many specialties (including pathology). He and his wife Kristin (aka "Lady Glaucomflecken") join me to share their inspirational story, with NO blood bank learning whatsoever! Even so, you've gotta listen!

Continuing education episode! Advances in the practice of Transfusion Medicine happen regularly, and it can be difficult for both learners and those with more experience to keep up with the latest information. Further, many learners (and more "seasoned" types!) lack experience to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the evidence in the medical literature. Dr. Rich Haspel joins me to describe how to evaluate evidence in the medical literature, and to discuss his take on low-titer group O whole blood. This episode is eligible for FREE CME and Continuing Certification credit for physicians and P.A.C.E. contact hours for laboratorians until May 4, 2025 through Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

Rh Immune Globulin prevents at-risk moms from making anti-D, but calculating proper dose can be challenging. In fact, numerous reports have suggested that we mess this up a lot! This episode is a teaching session with me and one of the pathology residents at Loma Linda University, Jessica Hudson. In it, I try to simplify the calculations and discuss some of the mechanics and details around the use of this amazingly effective medication.

Continuing education episode! For decades, medical personnel have been aware of the technique of "Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution (ANH)," the collection of blood immediately before surgery followed by infusion near the end. Dr. Steve Frank and his colleagues in the Bloodless Medicine Program at Johns Hopkins believe ANH is an underutilized strategy. He joins the BBGuy Essentials Podcast to share the details of ANH, and show how other facilities can implement ANH as a part of their overall Patient Blood Management Program. This episode is eligible for FREE CME and Continuing Certification credit for physicians and P.A.C.E. contact hours for laboratorians until June 28, 2024 through Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

Continuing education episode! Plasma product names are confusing, but few are as misunderstood as Liquid Plasma. Dr. Chris Gresens explains why LP might be perfect for your transfusion service. This episode is eligible for FREE CME and Continuing Certification credit for physicians and P.A.C.E. contact hours for laboratorians until March 8, 2024 through Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

Continuing education episode! Usually, red cell alloantibodies are simple (find an antibody, give antigen-negative blood), but occasionally, some of them don't follow the rules! "Antibodies of variable clinical significance" act differently in different patients, sometimes causing hemolysis and sometimes not. They can be very hard to manage, especially because almost all blood donors are incompatible. The Monocyte Monolayer Assay, developed by today's guest, Sandy Nance, and her colleagues at the American Red Cross, helps answer the question, "Do we search the world for rare units of compatible blood, or can we just transfuse ABO-compatible red cells out of our regular inventory?" It's a great story, and this is a rare chance to hear about the MMA from one of the original sources, and to understand how to use it today. This episode is eligible for FREE CME and Continuing Certification credit for physicians and P.A.C.E. contact hours for laboratorians until October 12, 2023 through Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

In 2017, Dr. Mark Yazer appeared on this podcast to discuss the burgeoning interest in "Low-titer Group O Whole Blood (LTOWB)" for massive transfusions, particularly in trauma settings. Since then, more data and experience are available to guide the use of whole blood for trauma transfusion. Dr. Yazer updates us on the latest whole blood and incompatible plasma transfusion data, and clears up once and for all the "clear fluids" debate! Plus, there's some hockey trash talk...

Transfusion reactions that involve the heart and/or lungs, especially TACO and TRALI, are responsible for more transfusion deaths than any other entity. In this interview, Dr. Cserti-Gazdewich focuses on these two reactions and gives tips and strategies to identify, manage, and prevent them. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

Blood transfusion is less likely to transmit infections today than ever. Through a combination of screening questions, donor testing, and direct treatment of blood products, the vast majority of opportunities for transfusion-transmitted infections are eliminated. In this learner-focused interview, Dr. Suchi Pandey from Stanford outlines current strategies to keep blood safe. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

Every now and then, when a transfusion service does a pretransfusion workup, they find that the patient's plasma is incompatible with EVERY other red cell! In other words, NOTHING is compatible! These situations are intimidating, and can lead to delays in transfusion. Dr. Jill Storry is an international immunohematology expert, and she shares practical tips for what to do and how to recognize the three main patterns of panagglutinins. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

Let's be honest: Some hospital transfusion committee meetings feel like a waste of time! However, Dr. Carolyn Burns thinks transfusion committees are not hopeless! In this interview, she outlines her practical steps for building the perfect transfusion committee. She discusses how to recruit members, how to find "champions," what to discuss and analyze, and shares what she has observed in the most effective transfusion committees. Whether your facility is doing a great job already or you are reading this and thinking, "I'm supposed to be reviewing transfusion stuff?", Carolyn will help you go beyond just "checking the boxes." NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

The 32nd edition of AABB Standards became effective in April 2020. Rich Gammon, Chair of the BBTS Standards Committee, is here with the Top 10 changes you need to know! From blood donors to recipients, these changes will keep you in touch with best practices in Transfusion Medicine, even if your facility is not AABB-accredited. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.