Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation
Published on: July 19, 2021
Therapeutic apheresis in kidney transplantation: An updated review
Maurizio Salvadori1, Aris Tsalouchos2
1Department of Transplantation Renal Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence 50139, Italy. maurizio.salvadori1@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Therapeutic apheresis is a cornerstone of therapy for several conditions in transplantation medicine and is available in different technical variants. In the setting of kidney transplantation, immunological barriers such as ABO blood group incompatibility and preformed donor-specific antibodies can complicate the outcome of deceased- or living- donor transplantation. Postoperatively, additional problems such as antibody-mediated rejection and a recurrence of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis can limit therapeutic success and decrease graft survival. Therapeutic apheresis techniques find application in these issues by separating and selectively removing exchanging or modifying pathogenic material from the patient by an extracorporeal aphaeresis system. The purpose of this review is to describe the available techniques of therapeutic aphaeresis with their specific advantages and disadvantages and examine the evidence supporting the application of therapeutic aphaeresis as an adjunctive therapeutic option to immunosuppressive agents in protocols before and after kidney transplantation.
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure
Acute Kidney Injury V: Interprofessional Care
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Kidney Transplant III: Nursing Management
Hemodialysis I: Introduction

