For a patient with a history of sickle cell disease who received multiple transfusions, which laboratory procedure would effectively identify the antibodies in his plasma?

In the context of identifying antibodies in the plasma of a patient with a history of sickle cell disease who has received multiple transfusions, washing the patient's red blood cells with hypotonic saline followed by phenotyping is an effective laboratory procedure. This method is particularly useful because it helps to remove any antibodies attached to the red blood cells that might complicate serological testing. By using hypotonic saline, red blood cells are gently lysed, and this can effectively release any bound antibodies. After the wash, phenotype testing can be performed on the remaining cells to determine any specific antigens present, which is essential in the identification of antibodies that may have developed due to previous transfusions.

Identifying antibodies in this patient is crucial because multiple transfusions can lead to sensitization to various antigens, increasing the risk for transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease. Thus, using this technique fosters precise antibody identification, ensuring safe transfusions in the future.

Other methods, such as adsorption onto phenotype-matched red cells or testing with a ficin panel, may not provide the same direct insight into the antibodies in the plasma, especially considering the complexities introduced by multiple transfusions and the potential for unexpected antibody formation. Also, chloroquine treatment is generally used to remove certain