Definition

Noun: A medical procedure in which a patient's blood is gradually removed and simultaneously replaced with an equal volume of donor blood. This is typically done to treat severe conditions like hemolytic disease of the newborn, certain poisonings, or severe jaundice by removing harmful substances from the bloodstream.

Usage

This term is used specifically in medical contexts to describe a therapeutic transfusion technique. It is a formal, technical term.

Examples

• The newborn required an exchange transfusion to treat the severe jaundice caused by Rh incompatibility.
• Exchange transfusion is a critical procedure for removing toxins in cases of certain drug overdoses.
• The medical team prepared for an emergency exchange transfusion to manage the patient's sickle cell crisis.

Advanced Usage

• The procedure can be described as double-volume exchange transfusion, indicating that approximately twice the patient's blood volume is exchanged.
• The term is often used in passive voice or as a modifier in medical documentation (e.g., "The infant underwent exchange transfusion," "exchange transfusion therapy").

Variants and Related Words

• Transfusion (n): The general process of transferring blood or blood products into a person's circulation.
• Apheresis (n): A broader medical procedure for separating and removing a specific component from the blood, returning the remainder to the donor or patient.

Synonyms

• Replacement transfusion
• Exsanguination transfusion (less common, more technical)

Related Phrases

• To perform an exchange transfusion: The action of carrying out the procedure.
  • The neonatologist will perform an exchange transfusion.
• To undergo an exchange transfusion: To be the patient receiving the procedure.
  • The baby had to undergo an exchange transfusion immediately after birth.

Noun

1. slow removal of a person's blood and its replacement with equal amounts of a donor's blood