Membrane-based Therapeutic Plasma Exchange: A New Frontier for Nephrologists. 2016

Casey N Gashti
Section of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. casey_gashti@rush.edu.

Therapeutic plasma exchange has long been utilized to manage a variety of immune-mediated diseases. The underlying principle is the removal of a circulating pathogenic substance from the plasma and substitution with a replacement fluid. Different methodologies of plasma separation include the use of centrifuge, which relies on the variation in the specific gravity of blood components, and membrane-based separation, which relies on particle size. With advancements in technology and clinical insight into disease pathophysiology, membrane technology has become more biocompatible, safer, and more adaptable to conventional hemodialysis and hemofiltration machines. As such, nephrologists, who are familiar with management of extracorporeal blood purification systems, are increasingly involved with membrane-based plasma separation. This review aims to highlight the technical aspects of membrane-based separation, review the prescription for therapy, and draw comparisons with the centrifuge-based technique when applicable.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009398 Nephrology A subspecialty of internal medicine concerned with the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the kidney.
D010951 Plasma Exchange Removal of plasma and replacement with various fluids, e.g., fresh frozen plasma, plasma protein fractions (PPF), albumin preparations, dextran solutions, saline. Used in treatment of autoimmune diseases, immune complex diseases, diseases of excess plasma factors, and other conditions. Exchange, Plasma,Exchanges, Plasma,Plasma Exchanges
D006435 Renal Dialysis Therapy for the insufficient cleansing of the BLOOD by the kidneys based on dialysis and including hemodialysis, PERITONEAL DIALYSIS, and HEMODIAFILTRATION. Dialysis, Extracorporeal,Dialysis, Renal,Extracorporeal Dialysis,Hemodialysis,Dialyses, Extracorporeal,Dialyses, Renal,Extracorporeal Dialyses,Hemodialyses,Renal Dialyses
D006440 Hemofiltration Extracorporeal ULTRAFILTRATION technique without HEMODIALYSIS for treatment of fluid overload and electrolyte disturbances affecting renal, cardiac, or pulmonary function. Arteriovenous Hemofiltration,Venovenous Hemofiltration,Arteriovenous Hemofiltrations,Hemofiltration, Arteriovenous,Hemofiltration, Venovenous,Hemofiltrations,Venovenous Hemofiltrations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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