Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) Practice Exam

For a high-PRA (Panel Reactive Antibody) recipient, a prospective cross-match is typically required. A high-PRA indicates that the recipient has a significant number of antibodies against potential donor antigens, making the compatibility testing more critical. The prospective cross-match is performed in advance of a transplantation to evaluate the recipient's serum against a potential donor’s cells, ensuring that there are no unacceptable antigen-antibody reactions that could result in transplant rejection. This test aims to anticipate and prevent any immunological responses that might occur if the transplant occurs. Given the increased risk of rejection in high-PRA patients, a prospective approach is essential for patient safety and successful transplantation. Other types of cross-matching, such as emergency, routine, or retrospective, do not provide the same level of preemptive analysis and compatibility assurance needed for high-PRA patients.