Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction induced prolonged renal injury in an obstetric patient: A case report

A red blood cell (RBC) transfusion can be fatal if an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR) occurs. In the past, ABO-incompatible blood transfusions were the most common cause of hemolysis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI); however, these are now rare due to improving blood banking practices. A 29-year- old obstetric female of blood group A positive was admitted due to anuric AKI and intravascular hemolysis after receiving an incompatible transfusion of blood group AB positive. The patient displayed a classic triad of symptoms a few minutes after the transfusion and fortunately, the infant was saved by the performance of an immediate cesarean section. The patient required four sessions of hemodialysis during their hospital stay due to severe uremia and acute pulmonary edema. Kidney function improved very slowly and returned to near normal after six weeks. This case was the second obstetric patient; admitted to our hospital; in the past few months with prolonged AKI induced by an ABO-incompatible blood transfusion. Complications arising from a RBC transfusion can be exhausting for the patient and medical staff and require a long hospital stay and high costs. This demonstrates the need for medical staff to reserve blood transfusions for obvious indications, to repeat the blood type, and to confirm the recorded compatibility of the patient and the blood unit before transfusion. Also, medical staff should always monitor the patient's symptoms during the transfusion process, to recognize these severe conditions and to administer effective treatments as soon as possible.