Hemoadsorption: One Name, Varied Techniques

Despite significant efforts to improve outcomes for patients with sepsis and septic shock, mortality rates remain alarmingly high.

Beyond standard management, novel adjuvant treatments seek to improve outcomes through a personalized approach. Among these, immunomodulation strategies aim to reestablish a balance in the dysregulated immune system, managing both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. In recent years, various techniques utilizing extracorporeal circuits equipped with filters or cartridges, collectively referred to as blood purification therapies, have been developed and introduced to the market. Hemoadsorption, whether used alone or in conjunction with hemofiltration, may clear a broad range of substances from the blood, including inflammatory mediators, drugs, trace elements, bacteria, and viruses.

Understanding the fundamental principles of blood purification techniques is essential for enhancing survival probabilities, keeping in mind the principle of primum non nocere as a guiding tenet of our daily practice. This review aimed to give an overview of hemoadsorption techniques by presenting current evidence and highlighting key areas that require further investigation.