Off-line leukapheresis using leukofiltration for active ulcerative colitis: a case report.
The method of leukocytapheresis for ulcerative colitis (UC) by using extracorporeal circulation (on-line system) has been reported. To perform leukocytapheresis, we have applied leukocyte elimination filters for blood transfusion to leukocytapheresis without using extracorporeal circulation (off-line leukocytapheresis system). Four hundred milliliters of peripheral blood was collected and reinfused through a leukocyte elimination filter. This procedure was repeated 5 times, and up to 2,000 ml of peripheral blood was treated. This method has been applied once a week for 5 weeks. We applied the off-line leukapheresis system to a 31-year-old male ulcerative colitis patient. As a result, the frequency of defecation and the dose of medicine were effectively decreased, and endoscopic finding was also improved. Because of the absence of complications observed with the on-line system, the off-line leukocytapheresis system that we have applied to the clinical patient is simple, safe, and useful.
Endo
Y
Y
1st Department of Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan. yendo@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
Tsuzuki
H
H
Fujino
M
M
Tabata
T
T
Oka
H
H
Shimizu
T
T
Hanasawa
K
K
Tani
T
T
D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000628:therapy*; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome