Exchange transfusion is a medical procedure that removes and replaces blood using apheresis technology. It is used to treat various diseases and conditions, including jaundice, sickle cell disease, and hemolytic disease. Risks include infection, blood clots, and changes in blood chemistry.
An exchange transfusion is a medical procedure to remove blood from the body and replace it with transfused blood, donated by another person. This procedure commonly uses a technology called apheresis, when blood is passed through a specialized machine to separate its components and return it to circulation. The blood removal procedure is done with the use of catheters or small tubes. It is a method of altering the level of hemoglobin and replacing abnormal cells with normal ones. Hemoglobin is a protein in the blood that carries oxygen.
One method of exchange is called a rapid partial exchange transfusion. This is where the abnormal blood is removed from one arm while fresh blood from the donor is replaced in the other arm. This procedure, also called a double exchange transfusion, pumps clean, normal blood through your veins while diseased blood is removed from the artery.
Risks with this procedure include infection, blood clots, and changes in blood chemistry. Shock can also occur due to insufficient blood turnover. In more serious cases, heart and lung problems or allergic reactions can arise. Monitoring of general health may be necessary for several days after an exchange transfusion, especially in neonates.
A variety of diseases and conditions can be treated with a blood transfusion. Body chemistry disturbances, toxicity, and neonatal jaundice are conditions that may require exchange transfusion. Jaundice is when there is a high level of bilirubin which gives the newborn a yellow appearance. Significant, untreated jaundice can lead to other medical complications including brain damage.
Sickle cell disease and hemolytic disease of an infant can also be treated with exchange transfusion treatments. Sickle cell anemia presents with a permanent abnormality in the shape of red blood cells. Complications can include jaundice, higher rate of infection, chronic pain, organ failure, stroke, and a shortened life expectancy.
Hemolytic disease, also known as HDN or HDFN, is a condition in which a certain blood molecule that attacks the baby’s red blood cells is passed on to the fetus in vitro. It then creates alloimmunity, a condition in which the baby acquires immunity against its own cells. An exchange transfusion can be a life-saving or life-altering procedure. This technique can be used to increase health and quality of life as well as counteract the effects of serious medical conditions or changes in blood chemistry.
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