Infants and children are NOT just “little adults!” Dr. Cassandra Josephson shares 5 principles you must know about pediatric transfusion.

C Josephson MD

Dr. Cassandra Josephson

Dr. Cassandra Josephson from Emory University in Atlanta joins Dr. Chaffin to discuss her “Five Top Things You Should Know about Pediatric Transfusion.” Dr. Josephson is a very widely published and respected authority on pediatric transfusion (she is the co-author of the chapter “Neonatal and Pediatric Transfusion” in the current edition of the AABB Technical Manual, among many other publications). Honestly, she’s just terrific! She was kind enough to join me for a far-ranging conversation on five top things you need to know if you are to be involved with pediatric transfusion in 2016! Note that this is not intended to be the only things you need to know, and this is just the first in an occasional series on pediatric transfusion issues, so enjoy this one and be ready for more down the line!
C Josephson MD

Dr. Cassandra Josephson

Dr. Cassandra Josephson from Emory University in Atlanta joins Dr. Chaffin to discuss her “Five Top Things You Should Know about Pediatric Transfusion.” Dr. Josephson is a very widely published and respected authority on pediatric transfusion (she is the co-author of the chapter “Neonatal and Pediatric Transfusion” in the current edition of the AABB Technical Manual, among many other publications). Honestly, she’s just terrific! She was kind enough to join me for a far-ranging conversation on five top things you need to know if you are to be involved with pediatric transfusion in 2016! Note that this is not intended to be the only things you need to know, and this is just the first in an occasional series on pediatric transfusion issues, so enjoy this one and be ready for more down the line!

About My Guest:

Dr. Cassandra Josephson is one of only a few physicians in the United States trained and board-certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine. She is a Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Lab Medicine and Pediatrics at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She is the medical director of the blood/tissue banks, and apheresis services at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Director of Clinical Research in the Emory Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapies. She is also the co-author of the “Neonatal and Pediatric Transfusion” chapter in the 18th edition of the AABB Technical Manual, among many other publications.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this episode are those of my guest and I alone, and do not reflect those of the organizations with which either of us is affiliated. Dr. Josephson serves as a consultant to the following companies: Immucor, Octapharma, and Biomet Zimmer.

Time-Stamped Notes

  • 02:00: Intro to Dr. Josephson
  • 09:45: Top Five Things #1: “The Volumes Vary”
  • 19:10: Out of group plasma risk discussion
  • 20:25: Top Five Things #2: “Predicting Platelet Effect in Neonates, Pediatric Oncology, and Stem Cell Patients”
  • 22:30: Description of new paper showing no benefit of platelet transfusions in preventing neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage!
  • 25:05: PLADO subanalysis showing platelet count does not predict bleeding in children
  • 32:40: Top Five Things #3: “Cleaning House; Irradiation and “CMV-safe” products”
  • 35:55: Neonates at risk for TA-GVHD
  • 39:28: CMV-safe blood products and neonatal CMV transmission
  • 45:37: Optimal CMV prevention strategy
  • 49:30: Top Five Things #4: “An Ounce of Prevention Makes RBC Transfusion Possible and Lifesaving”
  • 53:45: Matching RBC transfusions in sickle cell disease
  • 60:00: Future danger of allowing pediatric sickle cell patients to make alloantibodies
  • 65:20: Top Five Things #5: “A Look at Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn”
  • 67:35: ABO Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn

Further Reading (in order mentioned):

Pin It on Pinterest