Apheresis Remains One of the Most Critical Medical Technology with Primary Application in the Collection of Donor Blood Components
Apheresis is an advanced
medical technology whereby the arterial blood of an individual is passed via an
artificial device into a bag and then back again. It's so-called because it
doesn't involve the use of needles or any type of instrument that could
possibly be contaminated with bodily fluids. Essentially, it's a non-invasive
procedure where a technician inserts a cannula - or typically a narrow tube -
into a patient's arterial blood vessel so that the arterial blood is extracted.
Once this is accomplished, the tube is sealed back up so that it can be
withdrawn, and the cannula is subsequently removed and discarded. It's then an
extracorporeal therapy.
A common variation among
single donor Apheresis
methods is the use of immuno-suppression drugs. Apheresis doesn't require the
administration of any medications, and patients are unaware that they're being
administered immuno-suppressants during the procedure. Therefore, it's
impossible to know whether or not the patients taking such drugs are at risk of
developing allergic reactions to any ingredients contained within the blood
product. In addition, immuno-suppressant drugs can alter the composition of
blood products dramatically, rendering them ineffective after any period of
time.
Apheresis can also use
sophisticated techniques, including the delivery of platelets directly into the
heart. This method of Apheresis
requires that an anesthetic be injected into the patient, as well as the
administration of a large amount of sodium thioglycolate. Platelets, which are
rich in glucose, are the major component of the blood plasma. Once they reach
the heart, platelets start producing glycolysis (breaking down sugars and
starches). This assists in the production of new cells in the heart and liver,
as well as cleansing the vessels. Recently, in April 2020, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) announced Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval
for Teurmo BCT Inc. and Marker Therapeutics AG’s D2000 Adsorption Cartridge to
treat patients 18 years of age or older with confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19)
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