HLA Antibody Screening, Crossmatching and Engraftment Monitoring

Also known as: human leukocyte antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring.

What is HLA antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring?

HLA antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring is a medical test used to determine how well a body’s immune system will accept or is accepting an organ transplant, skin graft or another introduction of foreign tissues to the body. Human leukocyte antigens, or HLA, are proteins that the body produces in response to foreign invaders. The better HLA match that a patient has with a donor, the more likely it is that the patient will not reject the transplant. The HLA antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring process helps to ensure a successful transplant, and then monitors the process after the transplant has occurred.

What happens during the procedure?

Routine blood draws from both the patient and donor are required in order to begin the process of HLA antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring. The blood samples are then taken to a laboratory for testing and analysis. Periodic blood tests may be required both before and after the transplantation procedure to ensure that the patient’s body is not rejecting the transplant.

Is any special preparation needed?

In most cases, no special preparation is needed for the test.

What are the risk factors?

Infection, bleeding, lightheadedness and damage to surrounding organs and tissues are potential risks of the blood draw that takes place prior to HLA antibody screening, crossmatching and engraftment monitoring.

Reviewed by: Sajel L Kana, MD

This page was last updated on: March 26, 2019 12:30 PM