Present Status of Apheresis Technologies: Part 2. Membrane Plasma Fractionator

Abstract

This article is the second of a 4 part series describing currently available apheresis devices and technologies. The sections will include: Part 1: Membrane Plasma Separator (published in Vol. 1); Part 2: Membrane Plasma Fractionator: Part 3: Leukocyte Filter; and Part 4: Adsorbent.

Plasma filtration in the treatment of graves' ophthalmopathy: A randomized study

“…Standard plasma exchange has several disadvantages (it is nonselective and there is a danger of allergic reactions and infection transmission after volume substitution with fresh frozen plasma) and is currently replaced by more selective and safer methods, for example, plasma filtration15 or immunoapheresis 13. We decided to use the plasma filtration technique because it has been proven to be effective in other autoimmune disorders, such as myasthenia gravis,17, 22 Guillain‐Barre's, and Fisher's syndromes,16 and for removal of ABO antibodies before renal transplantation 23…”

“…Technical details of the method are similar to other apheresis procedures. More details on plasma filtration techniques can be found in previously published works 14–17…”

Extracorporeal Removal of Circulating Immune Complexes: From Non-Selective to Patient-Specific

“…They can be used in the lower molecular range for more or less selective elimination of IgG (approximately 150 kD) up to the elimination of large low-density lipoprotein (approximately 2,000 kD). In many documented cases of autoimmune diseases reduction of CIC blood levels was achieved by MDF [11]. Obviously, elimination characteristics strongly depend on the properties of the plasma fractionator and the size of CIC.…”

“…Depending also on the nature of the filter polymer, plasma factionators with a variety of seiving coefficients for their target proteins are commercially available [11]. They can be used in the lower molecular range for more or less selective elimination of IgG (approximately 150 kD) up to the elimination of large low-density lipoprotein (approximately 2,000 kD).…”

“…In membrane differential filtration (MDF; synonyms: cascade filtration or double filtration), after separation from whole blood, plasma is fractionated by a second membrane with pore sizes between 0.013 and 0.037 Ìm [11]. Depending also on the nature of the filter polymer, plasma factionators with a variety of seiving coefficients for their target proteins are commercially available [11].…”