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Updated: May 28, 2026
11:53
Cecal Ligation Puncture Procedure
Published on: May 7, 2011
Extracorporeal therapies in sepsis
Anthi Panagiotou1, Sérgio Gaiao, Dinna N Cruz
1Department of Nephrology Dialysis & Transplantation, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy.
Journal of Intensive Care Medicine
|October 27, 2011
Summary
Extracorporeal therapies aim to reduce inflammatory mediators in sepsis patients. Understanding these treatments is crucial for improving outcomes in intensive care units.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Immunology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Sepsis treatment remains challenging, with immune dysregulation driving organ dysfunction.
- Current anti-inflammatory therapies are often ineffective.
- Reducing circulating cytokines is a long-standing therapeutic goal in sepsis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of extracorporeal therapies for sepsis.
- To introduce novel immunomodulatory techniques.
- To inform clinical practice regarding sepsis management.
Main Methods:
- Review of established extracorporeal techniques (e.g., hemofiltration, adsorption).
- Discussion of emerging technologies utilizing phagocytic cells and antibodies.
- Focus on modulating inflammatory mediators, complement, and coagulation factors.
Main Results:
- Multiple extracorporeal modalities exist to influence inflammatory mediators.
- Adsorption systems and high-volume hemofiltration are in clinical use.
- New experimental immunomodulatory systems are under development.
Conclusions:
- Extracorporeal therapies offer potential for sepsis management by targeting inflammation.
- Further understanding is needed for integration into standard clinical practice.
- These techniques aim to improve major clinical outcomes in sepsis patients.
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