The Eritro-Exchange

Abstract

Red blood cell (RBC) exchange transfusion is a procedure in which a machine removes the patient's abnormal RBCs using a centrifuge to separate the blood into its various parts. These abnormal cells are replaced with RBC units from volunteer healthy blood donors. RBC exchange transfusion can be done either using needles placed in the peripheral veins of each arm or using a central venous catheter. Since this technique is often performed in pediatric patients, it is important to evaluate its indications, and it is also necessary to consider some particular aspects for the apheretic procedure. RBC exchange transfusion is used to treat serious complications of sickle-cell disease, including stroke and acute chest syndrome, and can also be used in certain infections such as malaria or babesiosis, in which red blood cells are damaged.