If a patient has a previous anti-Jk^b and a negative current antibody screen, what should be done before transfusion?

In a scenario where a patient has a history of an anti-Jk^b antibody but currently shows a negative antibody screen, it's essential to consider the implications of the patient's prior antibody history on transfusion practices.

Providing Jk^b negative crossmatch compatible blood is the most appropriate course of action because the presence of the anti-Jk^b antibody indicates that the patient may react to cells expressing the Jk^b antigen. Even though the current antibody screen is negative, it’s prudent to avoid any potential for hemolytic transfusion reactions caused by previously formed antibodies. Therefore, selecting blood products from donors who are Jk^b negative ensures the safety of the transfusion, addressing the patient's specific immunologic needs based on their history.

To elaborate further:

• While phenotyping the patient’s red cells for the Jk^b antigen might provide information on the patient's own cells, it doesn't change the risk posed by the known antibody.

• Performing a cell panel on the patient's serum could be useful in other contexts but is not essential as the priority is directly related to the already established presence of the anti-Jk^b.

• Crossmatching type-specific units and only releasing compatible ones is generally a practice in transfusion medicine