MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Exchange transfusion

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Exchange transfusion - series: Procedure

Exchange transfusion - series Illustrations:

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 ultraviolet light exposure, in which the infant is placed under an ultraviolet lamp for a few hours each day. The ultraviolet light breaks down bilirubin into a form which the infant liver can process and excrete.

Update Date: 4/23/2004

Updated by: Samuel Blackman, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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