The Liposorber- An Innovative Device for FSGS July 22, 2015 by Kylie Karley Not too long ago, the Liposorber LA-15 System was approved by the FDA for use in pediatric FSGS patients that have tricky cases. This unique device offers a different type of treatment for patients: it cleans the blood of LDL’s, or the “bad cholesterol”. According to the FDA’s Press Announcement, “The device works by removing certain lipoproteins from the patient’s blood. The patient’s blood is first passed through a plasma filter where the blood cells are separated from plasma (the liquid component of the blood).” The Press Announcement goes on to cite studies that showed positive outcomes of patients that used the Liposorber System, including a study that showed patients excreted less protein after kidney transplant if they had treatment with the Liposorber System (compared to transplant patients that did not receive Liposorber treatment). Dr. Joshua J. Zaritsky, a pediatric nephrologist at Nemours/ Alfred I. DuPont Hospital in Wilmington, DE, believes in this innovative treatment option, saying, “I am hopeful we may be onto something with the Liposorber. I am beginning to get the feeling that the excess lipids we see in Nephrotic Syndrome are in themselves toxic to the kidney- this may explain why the machine works and provide another yet unexplored mechanism to help treat Nephrotic Syndrome/FSGS”. The Liposorber LA-15 System (is in) a post-approval study. If you are interested in learning more- be sure to ask your doctor and read more about the device HERE.
Andrea says July 30, 2015 at 3:58 pm Hi. I got transplanted in 2012, and a couple of days after the doc tryid plasma ferese, it didnt work for me, the fsgs came back the day after my surgery. Is plasma ferese the samme as this treatment? Sadly i have only 25 % kidney function left.
Chelsey Fix says August 5, 2015 at 7:51 am Hi Andrea! Plasmapheresis and the Liposorber treatment are very similar in their processes, but different in what each removes from the blood. We would love to talk to you more about this and hear more of your story! If you are interested, please email patientadvocate@nephcure.org so we can get connected.