In most cases, this involves placing one or more thin tubes, called catheters, into a blood vessel.
[6] Exchange transfusion to treat hemolytic disease of the newborn is now uncommon since the introduction of Anti-D prophylaxis in pregnancy.
[5] Polycythemia, a condition in which the number of red cells in the blood is too high, is usually diagnosed when the hematocrit is above 65%.
[12] Also, although uncommon, exchange transfusion can cause complications (low blood pressure (hypotension), abnormal heart rhythms (ventricular fibrillation) and breathing problems (acute respiratory distress syndrome)).
Sickle Cell Disease patients may be exchanged in an outpatient setting and can be sent home the very same day.
[13] The technique was originally developed by Alexander S. Wiener, soon after he co-discovered the Rh factor[broken anchor].