Continuous- and semicontinuous-flow blood centrifugation systems: therapeutic applications, with plasma-, platelet, lympha-, and eosinapheresis

Blood centrifugation, with a continuous-flow or semicontinuous-flow system, was used in the treatment of 17 patients with various hematologic disorders. Total plasma exchange (TPE) controlled symptoms of hyperviscosity and arrested bleeding in three patients. In two patients, TPE made is possible to perform urgent surgical procedures. It was a very valuable adjuvant in the treatment of one patient with a Factor VIII inhibitor. Eosinapheresis was not of significant value in the therapy of syndromes associated with eosinophilia. Lymphapheresis significantly reduced peripheral lymphocytosis, aiding in the chemotherapeutic control of chronic lymphosarcoma cell leukemia in one patient. It was of questionable value in the maintenance therapy of two patients with Sezary syndrome. Plateletapheresis significantly reduced peripheral platelet count in thrombocytosis, making it possible to minimize the chemotherapeutic dose and permitting urgent surgical procedures in two patients.