アフェレシス装置の安全システムと問題点(<特集>アフェレシスにおけるセイフティーマネジメント)  [in Japanese] Problems with Safeguard for Apheresis Equipment  [in Japanese]

In judging the quality of medical treatment, safety is the most important issue. In order to perform safe and effective therapy, we have to guarantee to a patient that apheresis equipment is always safe, because a very complicated extra-corporeal circulation system and operations are necessary for apheresis therapy. In this paper, the safeguard of the apheresis equipment, which has been improving everyday, is reviewed. The issue today is that there is no international standard for apheresis equipment. For this reason, there is no consensus about the medical terminology written on the machines, the colors of operation switches, or the name or action of each operation part. It prevents the safe operation of apheresis equipment, and also, it is thought to be the biggest reason for accidents. Despite the differences in the design or functions of each machine, all the apheresis equipment must be very safe machines, like an automobile that every single person is capable of managing.