LEUKAPHERESIS Meaning and
Definition
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Leukapheresis is a medical procedure that involves the separation and removal of white blood cells (leukocytes) from the bloodstream. It is a specialized form of apheresis, which is a process that allows specific components of blood to be isolated and collected for therapeutic purposes.
The term "leukapheresis" is derived from two Greek words: "leukos," meaning "white," and "aphairesis," meaning "a taking away." This procedure is typically performed in a hospital or clinical setting under the supervision of trained healthcare professionals.
During leukapheresis, blood is withdrawn from a patient using a sterile needle or catheter. The blood is then passed through a machine called a leukapheresis device, which utilizes centrifugation or filtration to separate the white blood cells from the rest of the blood components such as red blood cells and plasma.
The separated white blood cells are collected and preserved for various therapeutic purposes, such as treating certain blood disorders, preventing organ transplant rejection, or collecting stem cells for transplantation. The remaining blood components are re-infused back into the patient's bloodstream.
Leukapheresis is often used to manage conditions characterized by high white blood cell counts, including leukemias, lymphomas, autoimmune diseases, and certain infections. It provides a targeted approach to remove excessive or abnormal white blood cells from circulation, helping to alleviate symptoms, lower the risk of complications, and improve the overall well-being of the patient.
Common Misspellings for LEUKAPHERESIS
- keukapheresis
- peukapheresis
- oeukapheresis
- lwukapheresis
- lsukapheresis
- ldukapheresis
- lrukapheresis
- l4ukapheresis
- l3ukapheresis
- leykapheresis
- lehkapheresis
- lejkapheresis
- leikapheresis
- le8kapheresis
- le7kapheresis
- leujapheresis
- leumapheresis
- leulapheresis
- leuoapheresis
- leuiapheresis
Etymology of LEUKAPHERESIS
The word "Leukapheresis" is derived from two Greek roots: "leukos" meaning "white" and "aphairesis" meaning "a taking away". These roots combined form "leukapheresis", which refers to a medical procedure that involves selectively removing white blood cells from a person's blood.
