Critical and Emergency Treatments and Procedures
Apheresis Therapy: Leukapheresis
Leukapheresis involves removal of a patient’s white blood cells from the circulating blood. It’s often used as a treatment during leukemia if the blood has too many white blood cells.
Apheresis Therapy: Red Cell Exchange
Apheresis therapy is a medical procedure that’s used to remove certain blood components when problems exist. Red cell exchange involves removing problematic red blood cells from the blood. It’s often used as a treatment for sickle cell disease.
Apheresis Therapy: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange
Therapeutic plasma exchange involves removing problematic plasma from the blood.
Blood Transfusions
A blood transfusion is when blood is infused into the body to replace missing blood.
Central Venous Line Insertion
Central venous line insertion is a procedure used to insert a catheter line into a large vein near the heart. The tube is used to deliver nutrients, fluids, medicine or blood to the body as part of a medical procedure or to treat a medical condition.
Collection of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
The body’s stem cells can be used for treatments for a number of different disease, including certain cancers and non-malignant conditions.
Continuous Peripheral Nerve Block Catheter
A continuous peripheral nerve block catheter is a catheter that delivers anesthesia to a nerve, providing continuous pain relief during or after medical procedures.
Epidural Catheters
An epidural catheter is a catheter that is placed into the epidural, an open space in the spine near the spinal cord and nerve roots. It delivers anesthesia for procedures such as labor and delivery and other medical procedures.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Therapy
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy is an emergency medical treatment for very ill babies/children who often need a heart and/or lung support. It involves circulating blood out of the body, through an artificial lung for oxygenation and back into the body.
High Frequency Ventilation
HFV is a form of mechanical ventilation that is only used in rare instances when extra protection is needed for the lungs. It involves a high delivery of gas to accommodate rapid respiratory rates.
Infusion Therapy
Infusion therapy is typically used to refer to any drug that is administered intravenously.
Intravascular Arterial and Venous Monitoring
Intravascular arterial and venous monitoring is a test that measures blood flow throughout the body. It’s useful in both diagnosing medical conditions and monitoring a patient who is already under medical care and supervision.
Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen
Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a common method used to help with a patient’s anxiety and provide some analgesia for a dental procedure a patient for a dental procedure in a safe, effective manner.
Peritoneal Dialysis
Peritoneal dialysis is a form of dialysis, which is a treatment that filters and cleans the blood when the kidneys no longer work. Most types of dialysis occur at a treatment center, but peritoneal dialysis is a form that a patient can do at home or at work.
Photopheresis
Photopheresis is a medical procedure that can treat graft versus host disease. It involves suppressing the immune system to prevent it from reacting adversely on the skin.
Plasmapheresis
Plasmapheresis is a medical procedure that can treat autoimmune and other disorders. It involves replacing the body’s plasma to prevent it from attacking the body’s healthy cells.
Red Blood Cell Exchange
Certain blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia, are characterized by problems with the blood cells themselves that can be difficult to treat. Red blood cell exchange is the process of removing red blood cells from the body and replacing them with new ones.
Spinal Tap and Lumbar Puncture
Lumbar puncture and spinal tap are two terms for the same medical procedure. It involves removing a sample of spinal fluid from the spine in order to diagnose a potential infection.
T-Cell Collection by Apheresis
The body’s T cells are a type of white blood cell that can be used for treatments for a number of different diseases including cancer. The process of collecting these T cells is known as T cell collection by apheresis.