Update on therapeutic apheresis.
The start of this century has brought medical advances that allow earlier disease detection and better, faster, and more-specific treatments. Advances in therapeutic apheresis are creating another set of medical options. Technological advances and better disease understanding allow treatment of a broader disease spectrum with more specific removal of disease mediators. New systems are currently under investigation around the globe. This review presents recent advances and updates in the field of therapeutic apheresis, including rheopheresis, granulocyte and monocyte adsorption, endotoxin adsorption, autoantibody adsorption, and plasma exchange protocols for incompatible renal transplants.
Wehrli
Gay
G
Blood Bank and Transfusion Services, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Box 826, Boston, MA 02111, USA. gwehrli@tufts-NEMC.org
D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans