Immunoadsorption

Immunoadsorption is a procedure that removes specific blood group antibodies from the blood, needed to remove antibodies against pathogenic antibodies, with the procedure generally taking about three to four hours. It was developed in the 1990s as a method of extracorporeal removal of molecules from the blood, particularly molecules of the immune system, using a number of different devices and columns on the market, each with a different active component to which the molecule of interest attaches, allowing for selectivity in the molecules targeted. Immunoadsorption may be used as an alternative to plasma exchange in certain conditions, though evidence of benefit is lacking in those with kidney problems and it remains a costly procedure.