Researchers at the University of Houston and Baylor College of Medicine have developed an innovative device to treat children with hyperleukocytosis, a dangerous condition caused by an excessive number of white blood cells, often due to leukemia. While chemotherapy remains the primary treatment for acute leukemia, leukapheresis is sometimes necessary to quickly reduce white blood cell counts. However, traditional leukapheresis machines pose significant risks for children, including excessive blood loss, high flow rates, and platelet depletion.
Seeking a safer solution, Dr. Fong Lam, a pediatric intensive care physician, collaborated with biomedical engineer Sergey Shevkoplyas to create a microfluidic device capable of filtering white blood cells more safely and efficiently. The device uses controlled incremental filtration, directing blood through tiny channels about the width of a human hair. These channels separate cells based on size, allowing large leukocytes and leukemic blasts to be removed while returning healthy blood components to the patient.
Tested in vitro and in vivo, the device successfully removed ~85% of large leukocytes and ~90% of leukemic blasts without significant platelet loss or adverse effects. Unlike conventional leukapheresis systems, this new device operates with an extracorporeal volume (ECV) nearly 70 times smaller, making it much safer for infants. The findings, published in Nature Communications, mark a significant step toward improving leukemia treatment in pediatric patients, potentially saving lives with a less invasive and more effective approach.
Article written by Laurie Fickman
25/03/2025
Source:
University of Houston
https://stories.uh.edu/2025-childhood-cancer-device/index.html