Applications of bioreactors in medicine.

The use of immobilized enzymes, antibodies or reactive proteins was recently considered as a promising approach for detoxification purposes. The appropriate solutions of some specific problems were described and discussed. An hollow fiber haemodialyzer with a membrane surface area of 0.6 m2 was used as standard support for L-asparaginase immobilization. Hemoperfusion columns based on modified agarose beads were also manufactured for the immobilization of antiphenobarbital antibodies.

Use of uncoated activated carbon hemoperfusion in acute poisoning: in vitro studies.

In acute poisoning the main purpose of any therapeutic approach is a rapid removal of the drug or poison from body tissues. This approach suggested to undertake a study for the development of an uncoated activated carbon hemoperfusion column suitable for acute poisoning. Th clearances were significantly superior compared with a similar device manufactured using coated carbon. The microparticle generation, utilizing a spherical type of activated carbon, was undetectable with the adopted measuring method, well below the US and British Pharmacopeas limits and practically equal to a coated carbon column with identical geometry.

Evaluation of novel sorbent systems for joint hemodialysis and hemoperfusion.

Hemodialysis is not very effective at removing middle molecular weight species and certain drugs such as salicylates and barbiturates. Carbon hemoperfusion is ineffective in removing urea and water, even when coated microparticles can be generated. To use the advantages of hemodialysis and carbon hemoperfusion without their disadvantages, cuprophan tubular membranes and fibers containing activated carbon have been manufactured. A device called the Hemocarbodialyser, consisting of a sorbent and dialyzing carbon membrane wound onto a coli dialyzer, has been evaluated by the authors. From preliminary results, the Hemocarbodialyser has been shown to be efficient at removing vitamin B12, has high ultrafiltration, and has high dialysance of creatinine and uric acid. The use of activated carbon and aluminum oxide fibers was also evaluated, indicating that fibers containing sorbents, as well as the Hemocarbodialyser, may have clinical importance in the near future, when joint hemodialysis and hemoperfusion is required in hepatic failure, uremia, and acute poisoning.

Adsorption characteristics of cellulose acetate coated charcoals.

The permeability of cellulose triacetate membrane coated activated charcoal is enhanced by treatment with KOH. The adsorption data for creatinine in aqueous solution before and after deacetylation are given. In order to study the usefulness of hemoperfusion associated with dialysis for removal of uremic toxins, some experiments were performed on the adsorption by coated and deacetylated charcoal of molecules of various molecular weights (from 113 to 40,000). Although the adsorption capacity of uncoated charcoal was better, the coated material still shows good properties in the adsorption of glucagon (mol wt 3485). The results on in vitro experiments of vitamin B12 removal by coated charcoal cartridge and CDAK Model 3 dialyzer confirms the usefulness of adsorption technique toward medium molecular weight compounds.