Therapeutic Apheresis
An entity of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC), thera•pheresis is Houston's exclusive mobile Therapeutic Apheresis (TA) service solely trained in and dedicated to providing Therapeutic Apheresis treatments to patients, without any cross-utilization of staff or technology. Providing this service, often at the patient's bedside or in the physician's office for clinically stable patients, empowers physicians overseeing TA treatments for their patients at a significantly lower cost, while providing a cost savings for healthcare organizations by eliminating the need for expensive medical equipment and the overhead of running a specialized department.
The Procedure
Therapeutic Apheresis (TA) is a technique used to remove a blood component from a patient for the purpose of reducing a disease mediator. It involves the separation and removal of a specific component (plasma, red blood cells, platelets, or leukocytes) from the blood, while the remaining blood components are returned to the patient, along with a prescribed replacement fluid (5% albumin, FFP, saline), if needed. The number of TA procedures performed on a patient varies according to the disease being treated and the patient's response.
Therapeutic Apheresis is performed with an automated blood cell separator which uses unique centrifugal technology to separate the various blood components. Qualified medical personnel operate the cell separator and remain with the patient during the entire procedure, closely monitoring the condition of the patient. The cell separator we use is mobile, allowing the entire procedure to be performed at the patient's bedside.
Community Service
In the past, patients with disorders treatable by TA were transferred to large tertiary care hospitals. The mobile TA service allows procedures to be performed in community hospitals or health care facilities, ensuring continuity of care by physicians and other health care providers familiar to the patient and the patient's family.
Quality Assurance
Our staff is skilled and well versed in all aspects of TA procedures. We are accredited by the aaBB and the FDA. We follow the regulatory guidelines of OSHA and the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA).
If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-866-923-6643 and we will be glad to help.