Clinical Apheresis Unit
The Clinical Apheresis Unit (CAU) is based on Level 1 the ground floor within the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre (BWoSCC). It is a small specialist department with 5 bed spaces. The Apheresis Team is led by our Apheresis Consultant and they have a small team of nurses trained in apheresis.
They provide an outpatient service at the Beatson and a mobile service to patients within Glasgow Hospitals who are unable to travel to the department. They also have a 24-hour on-call service for emergency procedures.
The Clinical Apheresis Unit provides a number of therapeutic procedures and some collection procedures which are generally carried out on a machine called a cell separator. A cell separator works by separating blood into it's various components, such as red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. The cell separator can be programmed to remove the layer required for the treatment or collection.
Procedures carried out in the Clinical Apheresis Unit include:
- Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection (PBSC)
- Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE)
- Photopheresis (ECP)
- White Cell Depletion (Leucoreduction)
- Platelet Depletion (Thromboreduction)
- Donor Lymphocyte Collection (DLI)
- Autologous predeposit (Autologous Whole Blood Collection)
- General Information regarding attending the Clinical Apheresis Unit.
Medications
Please bring along a list of your medications for your first treatment and let us know if there are any changes to your medications during the period of your treatment.
Visiting
Friends and family are very welcome to be with you while you are having your treatment. We have to restrict this to 1 to 2 people due to the size of the unit.
Refreshments
Please drink plenty of the fluids the day before and day of your procedure and if possible have a good breakfast or lunch before you arrive.
You can eat and drink freely during your procedure. Feel free to bring any food or drinks with you. In addition, tea or coffee and a sandwich will be provided, if your procedure continues over lunchtime.
The department is on Level 1 of The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and is very well signposted within the hospital.
Clinical Apheresis Unit
Level1
Beatson, West of Scotland Cancer Centre
1053 Great Western Road
Glasgow G12 0YN
Tel: 0141 301 7013/ 7014