KMC Manipal: Transfusion Medicine Center introduces India’s first Monocyte Monolayer Assay for safe transfusions

Manipal: Ensuring safe blood transfusion is essential as any mismatches between the donor’s blood and the recipient’s blood can potentially result in life-threatening complications.

A team of dedicated doctors, led by Dr Shamee Shastry, Professor and head of the Department, has standardised and validated the Monocyte Monolayer Assay (MMA), a cellular test that plays a pivotal role in predicting the risk of significant adverse reactions during blood transfusions.

The MMA can effectively assess the suitability of antigen-positive blood units for transfusion when serologically compatible blood is unavailable. This test is particularly valuable for selecting donor blood units in cases where patients have serologically incompatible cross-matches, such as those with autoantibodies or antibodies to high-frequency antigens on red blood cells.

In these challenging situations where finding compatible blood is difficult, the MMA provides a much-needed solution. The serological tests, which are commonly used, may not always accurately predict the in vivo response when an incompatible unit is to be transfused into a patient. The MMA takes approximately 6 to 8 hours to complete, ensuring thorough and accurate assessment.

Dr. Padmaraj Hegde, the Dean of Kasturba Medical College Manipal, has expressed that the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion is ready to extend this invaluable service to other medical centers. Lt. Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh the Vice Chancellor of MAHE Manipal, has commended the team’s efforts, highlighting that their pioneering work makes Kasturba Hospital Blood Center, the first Transfusion Medicine centre in India to offer this test. Speaking on the occasion Dr Sharath Kumar Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences), MAHE, Manipal said ‘This advancement promises enhanced patient care and, most importantly, the safety of blood transfusions”.