hemapheresis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “hemapheresis” mean?
A medical procedure in which blood is withdrawn from a donor or patient, specific components (such as plasma, platelets, or white blood cells) are separated and retained, and the remaining blood is returned to the individual.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medical procedure in which blood is withdrawn from a donor or patient, specific components (such as plasma, platelets, or white blood cells) are separated and retained, and the remaining blood is returned to the individual.
A therapeutic or donation technique used in transfusion medicine to collect specific blood components for treatment or research, while minimizing the loss of other blood elements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The spelling 'haemapheresis' is the standard British variant, while 'hemapheresis' is standard American.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to specialist medical literature and practice.
Grammar
How to Use “hemapheresis” in a Sentence
The patient underwent hemapheresis for the condition.Hemapheresis is performed to collect platelets.The procedure involves hemapheresis.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hemapheresis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team will perform haemapheresis on the donor tomorrow.
- Patients are haemapheresed weekly in the trial.
American English
- The center will hemapherese the donor tomorrow.
- She was hemapheresed to collect granulocytes.
adverb
British English
- The blood was processed haemapheretically.
American English
- The cells were collected hemapheretically.
adjective
British English
- The haemapheresis machine requires calibration.
- We reviewed the haemapheresis protocol.
American English
- The hemapheresis kit is sterile.
- He works in the hemapheresis department.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and biomedical research papers discussing transfusion medicine or therapeutic procedures.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Standard term in haematology, immunology, and transfusion service protocols.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hemapheresis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hemapheresis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hemapheresis”
- Misspelling as 'hemopherisis' or 'hemapherisis'.
- Confusing it with dialysis, which filters waste from blood, not collects components.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to hemapherese a patient' is non-standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The procedure is similar to donating blood and involves needle insertion, which can cause minor discomfort, but it is generally not considered painful.
It typically takes longer than a standard blood donation, often between 1 to 2 hours, depending on the component being collected.
Hemapheresis selectively removes or collects specific cellular or plasma components from the blood. Dialysis removes waste products and excess fluid from the blood, primarily used for kidney failure.
No, donors must meet specific health and weight criteria, and the eligibility can depend on the component being collected (e.g., platelets, plasma).
A medical procedure in which blood is withdrawn from a donor or patient, specific components (such as plasma, platelets, or white blood cells) are separated and retained, and the remaining blood is returned to the individual.
Hemapheresis is usually technical/medical in register.
Hemapheresis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhiː.mə.fəˈriː.sɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhi.mə.fəˈri.sɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HEMA (blood) + Pheresis (removal/taking away) = taking away specific parts from the blood.
Conceptual Metaphor
Blood as a separable resource; the body as a processing plant where specific components can be extracted and the rest recycled.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of hemapheresis?