Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) After Lung Transplantation

Patients who are assigned to the ECP group receive treatments by means of the THERAKOS ® CELLEX ® Photopheresis System (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Inc.) with either double- or single-needle access. During the leukapheretic processing, 1500 ml of whole blood is processed, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MCNs) are separated by centrifugation and collected in the buffy coat. 8-methoxypsoralen (Uvadex®, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Inc.) at a dose of 20 μg/ml is added to the MNC collection bag and cells are irradiated with ultraviolet A light (1.5 J/cm2) in a 1-mm-thick film through a photoactivation plate. After exposure of the cells to the ultraviolet light, the buffy coat is reinfused into the patient.