apheresis

apheresis /aph·e·re·sis/ (af″ĕ-re´sis) withdrawal of blood from a donor, with a portion (plasma, leukocytes, platelets, etc.) being separated and retained and the remainder retransfused into the donor. It includes leukapheresis, plasmapheresis, thrombocytapheresis, etc.

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aph·e·re·sis (f-rss)

n.

A procedure in which blood is drawn from a donor and separated into its components, some of which are retained, such as plasma or platelets, and the remainder returned by transfusion to the donor. Also called hemapheresis.

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Apheresis

Extraction of a specific component from donated blood, with the remainder returned to the donor.

Mentioned in: Blood Donation and Registry

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apheresis

[əfer′əsis, af′ərē′sis]

Etymology: Gk, aphairesis, removal

a procedure in which blood is temporarily withdrawn, one or more components are selectively removed, and the rest of the blood is reinfused into the donor. The process is used in treating various disease conditions in the donor and for obtaining blood elements for the treatment of other patients or for research. Also called pheresis. See also leukapheresis, plasmapheresis, plateletpheresis.

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apheresis [af″ĕ-re´sis]

any procedure in which blood is withdrawn from a donor, a portion (such as plasma, leukocytes, or platelets) is separated and retained, and the remainder is retransfused into the donor. Types include erythrocytapheresis, leukapheresis, lymphocytapheresis, plasmapheresis, and plateletpheresis.. Called also hemapheresis and pheresis.

therapeutic apheresis separation of whole blood into its major components and removal of the abnormal, pathogenic component. Types include plasma exchange (plasmapheresis), removal of white blood cells (leukapheresis), removal of platelets (thrombocytapheresis), and removal of red blood cells erythrocytapheresis). The process is currently used as measure of last resort when conventional therapies are unsuccessful in controlling a chronic, debilitating, or potentially fatal disease. Its primary purpose is to modify the pathologic process so that other treatments can be more effective. It is not a cure. Plasmapheresis may be used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and some malignancies, in which plasma constituents can interfere with the function of the immune system. Other diseases for which therapeutic apheresis might be used include certain blood dyscrasias such as thrombocytosis, polycythemia vera, and sickle cell anemia.

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apheresis (·ferˑ··sis),

n process in which blood is drawn from a donor, followed by selective separation of one or more constituents and then reinfused back into the body.

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apheresis

any procedure in which blood is withdrawn from a donor, a portion (plasma, leukocytes, platelets, etc.) is separated and retained, and the remainder is retransfused into the donor. It includes leukapheresis, thrombocytapheresis, etc. Called also pheresis.