Apheresis Unit
The following apheresis therapeutic procedures are performed on patients at the Apheresis Department of the IHBT:
Exchange (therapeutic) plasmapheresis
This therapeutic apheresis effectively removes plasma from the patient's bloodstream and replaces it with either plasma or albumin solution. Autoimmune antibodies, circulating immune complexes, paraproteins, etc. are removed with the plasma.
Erythrocyte exchange transpheresis (red blood cell exchange, erythrocyte exchange)
A medical procedure used to rapidly remove abnormal red blood cells from a patient's circulation and replace them with red blood cells from healthy donors. It is used, for example, in the treatment of sickle cell anaemia.
Depletion leukocytapheresis, leukodepletion (white blood cell collection, separation/depletion of leukocytes)
A medical procedure used to rapidly remove multiplying white blood cells from the patient's circulation. At the separator, the white blood cells are separated from the other blood components and removed into a collection bag. The procedure is performed in hyperleukocytic patients with acute or chronic leukaemia.
Depletion erythrocytapheresis, erythrodepletion (red blood cell collection, erythrocyte separation/depletion)
A medical procedure used to rapidly remove multiplied red blood cells from a patient's circulation. On the separator, the red blood cells are separated from the other blood components and removed into a collection bag. The procedure is performed in patients with primary polycythemia and secondary erythrocytosis.
Depletion thrombocytapheresis, thrombodepletion (platelet collection, platelet separation/depletion)
A therapeutic procedure used to rapidly remove multiplied platelets from the patient's circulation. On the separator, the excess platelets are separated from the other blood components and collected in a collection bag. The procedure is performed in patients with difficult to control thrombocytosis, for example in myeloproliferative disease.
Collection of haematopoietic cells from peripheral blood
In donors and patients, haematopoietic cells are flushed from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood after prior mobilisation preparation. They are removed from the blood using the haemapheresis technique. Peripheral haematopoietic cells are able to restore haematopoiesis and immune function in patients after high-dose chemotherapy.
IgG immunoadsorption
A therapeutic procedure that allows the effective removal of antibodies, inhibitors and immunocomplexes from the blood of patients. The method uses immunoadsorption columns. It is suitable in situations where centrifugation procedures fail to reduce the content of unwanted components in the circulation.
It is most commonly performed in patients with autoimmune disease, or in patients undergoing a pre-transplant or post-transplant regimen to remove Ig acting against the surface structures of the transplanted cells. It is effective in the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis, haemophilia A with anti-factor VIII inhibitor and in patients with refractory TTP.
Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP, photopheresis, extracorporeal photochemotherapy)
A therapeutic procedure that affects the reactivity of the immune system of patients. The method is indicated in the therapy of diseases in whose pathogenesis T lymphocytes are involved. Photochemotherapy is an effective method in graft versus host therapy and in the therapy of cutaneous T lymphomas.
On a blood cell separator, a portion of white blood cells (lymphocytes and monocytes) is removed from the patient's blood. The patient is then disconnected from the machine. The photosensitizing agent 8-methoxypsoralen is added to the white blood cells and then the cells are irradiated with ultraviolet A radiation. The treated cells are returned as autotransfused back into the patient's bloodstream.