Incompatible blood transfusion during general anesthesia

ABSTRACT

About 100 mls of ABO incompatible blood was transfused accidentally to a woman during Cesarean-Section under general anesthesia. She developed cyanosis, irregular pulse and cardiac arrest within few minutes of the beginning of blood transfusion. Immediate Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was performed. The patient recovered within few minutes showing normally reacting pupils. ECG monitor had shown Cardiac arrest in asystole. After about five to ten minutes patient again had irregular pulse and had cardiac arrest. Same resuscitative measures were repeated and patient recovered again. The sequence of cardiac arrest and resuscitation repeated three times. Whole situation was reviewed very carefully. Nothing was new except the blood transfusion which was stopped. The blood and its bag was sent to the blood bank for recheck. The remaining operative period was uneventful. Patient was kept in recovery room till all the parameters like respiration, reflexes, pulse and blood pressure were normal. Blood bank recheck report revealed that the transfused blood was group "B" positive while the blood group of patient was "0" positive. Patient was kept in intensive care unit for three days and was discharged from hospital ten days later in absolutely normal condition