MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:Exchange transfusion

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Exchange transfusion - series: Procedure

Exchange transfusion - seriesIllustrations:

Procedure

Indication

Procedure

Neonatal jaundice is a common problem among infants immediately after birth. It is the result of the inability of the neonatal liver to clear bilirubin, a breakdown product of blood cells, from the blood. Neonatal jaundice is usually a self-limiting, mild disorder. The most commonly used treatment is fluorescent light exposure, in which the infant is placed under a lamp for a few hours each day. The blue light breaks down bilirubin into a form the infant liver can process and eliminate.

Update Date: 4/8/2008

Updated by: Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy, ELS. Previously reviewed by Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (5/10/2006).

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