ABO mismatching errors in heart transplants.

3 Roff SR. Underascertainment of multiple myeloma challenges robustness of third NRPB study of nuclear veterans. Published online March 7, 2003. http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/326/7387/468/d# 30234 (accessed June 30, 2003). 4 Johnson JC, Thaul S, Page WF, Crawford H. Mortality of Veteran Participants in the CROSSROADS Nuclear Test. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996. 5 Darby SC, Kendall GM, Fell TP, et al. A summary of mortality and incidence of cancer in men from the United Kingdom who participated in the United Kingdom’s atmospheric nuclear weapon tests and experimental programmes. BMJ 1988; 296: 332–38. longer incubation period, can be treated with plasma exchange or other measures. The complex logistics of distant organ procurement, large recipient pools, and surgical urgencies invite errors. The last-minute tests that protect against a mistake are the redcell and HLA crossmatching tests. Is it not time that red-cell crossmatching, which has been obligatory for blood transfusions, also be compulsory for organ transplantation? Paul I Terasaki