Improvement of Major Problems in the Cell-Free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy System─Constructing of Cell-Free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy System Using External Pressure for Filtration

There are major problems with the occlusion of filtration membrane and fever of patients in the cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) system using internal pressure-type filtration. We constructed a modified CART system using external pressure-type filtration in order to resolve the major problems. After we adopted the external pressure-type filtration for CART system with the safety level raised, we studied the volume of treated ascites, the weight of recovered protein, and the body temperature of patients after the reinfusing of concentrated ascites in five cases with refractory ascites. There were no cancelled trials despite membrane occlusion in two of 22 trials. Moreover, use of this modified CART system could minimize the temperature increase of patients and suppress the occurrence of that variation with steroid injection. We were able to construct the modified CART system using external pressure-type filtration. This improved and safe CART system could be widely used by any facilities.