LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS Meaning and
Definition
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Leukocytapheresis is a medical procedure that involves the separation and removal of white blood cells from a patient's blood circulation. It is a form of therapeutic apheresis that focuses specifically on leukocytes, which are the immune cells responsible for defending the body against infections.
The process of leukocytapheresis typically involves the use of a specialized machine called an apheresis machine. The patient's blood is drawn from a vein and circulated through the machine, where it is separated into its various components. The leukocytes are selectively removed from the blood, and the remaining components, including red blood cells, platelets, and plasma, are returned to the patient.
Leukocytapheresis can be utilized as a therapeutic approach to treat certain conditions characterized by an excessive or abnormal presence of white blood cells in the body, such as acute leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and lymphoma. By reducing the number of leukocytes in the bloodstream, the procedure aims to alleviate symptoms, control disease progression, and improve the patient's overall wellbeing.
Moreover, leukocytapheresis can also be employed in autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues. By selectively removing the overactive leukocytes responsible for these immune responses, the procedure can help manage symptoms, reduce inflammation, and potentially induce disease remission.
Leukocytapheresis is usually performed under the supervision of a trained medical professional, such as a hematologist or an immunologist, in a clinical or hospital setting. It is considered a safe procedure, but potential risks and side effects may include temporary decrease in blood cell counts, temporary drop in blood pressure, and allergic reactions to anticoagulants.
Common Misspellings for LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS
- keukocytapheresis
- peukocytapheresis
- oeukocytapheresis
- lwukocytapheresis
- lsukocytapheresis
- ldukocytapheresis
- lrukocytapheresis
- l4ukocytapheresis
- l3ukocytapheresis
- leykocytapheresis
- lehkocytapheresis
- lejkocytapheresis
- leikocytapheresis
- le8kocytapheresis
- le7kocytapheresis
- leujocytapheresis
- leumocytapheresis
- leulocytapheresis
- leuoocytapheresis
- leuiocytapheresis
Etymology of LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS
The word "Leukocytapheresis" can be broken down into two parts: "leuko" and "cytapheresis".
The prefix "leuko" is derived from the Greek word "leukos", which means "white". It is commonly used in medical terminology to refer to white blood cells.
The term "cytapheresis" is a combination of two Greek words: "cyto", meaning "cell", and "aphairesis", which means "to remove". Cytapheresis is a medical procedure that involves selectively removing specific blood cells from the circulation.
Therefore, "leukocytapheresis" refers to a medical procedure that utilizes apheresis technology to selectively remove white blood cells from the bloodstream.
Similar spelling words for LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS
