Effect of blood microfilters on complement activity in human plasma

Filters in anaesthesia and intensive care

The use of various types of filters in anaesthesia and intensive care seems ubiquitous, yet authentication of the practice is scarce and controversies abound. This review examines evidence for the practice of using filters with blood and blood product transfusion (standard blood filter, microfilter, leucocyte depletion filter), infusion of fluids, breathing systems, epidural catheters, and at less common sites such as with Entonox inhalation in non-intubated patients, forced air convection warmers, and air-conditioning systems. For most filters, the literature failed to support routine usage, despite this seemingly being popular and innocuous. The controversies, as well as guidelines if available, for each type of filter, are discussed. The review aims to rationalize the place of various filters in the anaesthesia and intensive care environment.

Interaction of human serum lipoproteins with biomaterials

Human serum was incubated with representative portions of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blood storage bags and vascular prostheses. The in vitro interaction process with lipoprotein was followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) using sudan black and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) in the prestaining procedure. Densitometric scan of all the lipoprotein bands in serum after incubation with PVC bag material when prestained with sudan black showed remarkable increase in intensity. However, in the same experiment when NBT was used for prestaining no increase in the intensity of any of the lipoprotein bands could be observed. Since sudan black is known to bind cholesterol specifically we suggest that a molecular unfolding occurs when lipoprotein interacts with PVC bag material. When similar experiments were carried out with vascular prosthesis there was conspicuous decrease in the intensity of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) band especially when stained with NBT. This indicates preferential adhesion of HDL during interaction with vascular prosthesis.