Delayed Hemolytic Reactions
The delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction (DHTR) is the sneakiest transfusion reaction around!
DHTRs are often extremely subtle, and in many cases they are impossible to diagnose because they give no clinical symptoms whatsoever.
It is certain that these reactions are underdiagnosed. On the other hand, DHTRs can on occasion cause some of the nastiest clinical problems you'll see.
This section will discuss the DHTR, including the two most common mechanisms for their development, as well as what to look for when making the diagnosis. First, we need to describe the two common mechanisms for the development of a DHTR.
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