Coomb's test is very helpful in making a diagnosis of hemolytic anemia. Once a patient is found to have anemia, with raised bilirubin and raised retic count, hemolysis becomes the most likely possibility. Coomb's test is of two types. 1. Direct Coomb's test 2. Indirect Coomb's test. Direct Coomb's test: In case of direct Coomb's test, patient's RBC's are washed clear of plasma and are mixed with Coomb's serum (antihuman globulins), if agglutination occurs, it means the Direct Coomb's test is positive. If the direct Coomb's test is positive it means the patient has autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Indirect Coomb's test. In indirect Coomb's test, the patient's serum is taken instead of RBCs and this serum is then mixed and incubated with RBCs with a known antigen if the patient's serum contains antibodies against the RBCs antigens then antibody-antigens complexes are formed, then coombs serum is added to the sample, if ...
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