?:definition
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Apheresis units primarily designed to automate the removal of a pathologic component or toxin from the blood of a patient and/or its exchange with a replacement fluid. Typically, one or more pathologic components (e.g., antibodies, sickle cells) and/or toxins are removed and the rest of the blood is automatically reinfused. These units usually consist of a disposable pheresis set (i.e., a tubing set that connects the patient to the apheresis unit); pumps (e.g., rotary peristaltic pumps); a centrifugation chamber; bowls; filters; clamps; controls (e.g., centrifuge and pump speed, volume of solution added); alarms; and bubble detectors. Some therapeutic apheresis units use special affinity columns which contain adsorbents. These adsorbents selectively remove a pathogenic substance by chemical or antigen-antibody reactions as the plasma is pumped through the column rather than centrifugation.
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