Figure 8: Acute hearing loss therapy by extracorporeal fibrinogen reduction
With H.E.L.P.® apheresis (heparin-induced extracorporeal lipoprotein fibrinogen precipitation, B.Braun, Medizintechnologie GmbH, Germany) LDL, lipoprotein (a) and fibrinogen is precipitated and filtered out at an acid pH of 5.12 in the extracorporeal plasma circulation using heparin. The filtered plasma then passes a heparin adsorber and a dialyzer to remove the buffer. The reduction in high-molecular-weight plasma proteins achieved this way improves the rheological properties of the blood.