Method and apparatus for therapeutically treating immunological disorders and disease states

An in-situ immunological method for therapeutically treating disorders and disease states which are characterized by the presence of immunologically abnormal leukocytes in the body of an afflicted subject, said method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a sealed diffusion chamber of definable configuration and internal volume, said diffusion chamber comprising at least one semi-permeable membrane and at least a suspension of viable, immunologically normal, T-cell keukocytes, said semi-permeable membrane retaining said normal, T-cell leukocyte suspension within said diffusion chamber while allowing non-cellular materials and fluids to pass therethrough, said T-cell keukocytes in said suspension being demonstratably able to provide normal T-cell functions and to produce normal, non-antibody, T-cell secretory products within said diffusion chamber;
• implanting said sealed diffusion chamber at a preselected site within the afflicted subject;
• and
• allowing the non-cellular materials and fluids of the afflicted subject to pass through said semi-permeable membrane and to interact with said normal T-cell keukocyte suspension within said implanted diffusion chamber, said interaction yielding an in-situ production and release of normal, non-antibody, T-cell secretory products from said leukocyte suspension sufficient to therapeutically treat the immunological abnormality of the afflicted subject.