Hemoperfusion: Present and Future

Abstract

Hemoperfusion, the direct passage of blood over absorbing materials such as charcoals or resins to remove toxic compounds from the circulatory system, is now undergoing a significant revival of interest as a clinically helpful therapeutic tool. Although long known medically as an anti-flatulant and digestant and useful orally as an "antidote" for a variety of toxic ingestions, charcoals and resins were not used clinically in direct contact with the circulation for extraction of compounds until Yatzidis, et all in 1965 demonstrated its effectiveness in removing barbiturates (1). Unfortunately, DeMytennaere, et all noted potential complications resulting from hemoperfusion since charcoal embolization and destruction of formed elements of the blood occurred in experimental animals (2). Nevertheless, Chang (3, 4) and others persevered to develop the technology to coat charcoal with a variety of substances