Activated carbon & carbon-cryogel composites for haemoperfusion based applications

A number of pathological conditions are associated with the build up of toxic substances within the systemic circulation. For example, renal and hepatic failure can lead to the accumulation of metabolites which are usually processed by these organs. There has been much interest over a number of years in techniques such as haemoperfusion that could help clear these toxins from the body and improve patient outcome. Haemoperfusion is an extracorporeal blood purification technique in which a patient’s blood is passed over a column containing a material designed to adsorb a board spectrum of biological toxic molecules. Direct blood contact with the adsorbent requires a material that is able to display good haemocompatibility whilst maintaining adsorption efficiency. Activated carbons (AC) have great adsorption capacity and have previously been used as haemoadsorbents. However the haemocompatibility of carbons has been questioned and they are often coated with biocompatible polymers that increase their haemocompatibility but also act as a barrier to the removal of larger toxins and middle molecules.