MEDICAL DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND TREATMENT WITH SYNTHETIC POLYMERS EXHIBITING SPECIFIC BINDING

Embodiments herein relate to medical devices and methods for monitoring and/or treatment including the use of synthetic polymers exhibiting specific binding for compounds such as disease state markers or toxic substances. In an embodiment, a method of testing a patient for a disease state is included, the method can include withdrawing a fluid sample from the patient and contacting the fluid sample with an extracorporeal monitoring device. The extracorporeal monitoring device can include a microporous membrane. The microporous membrane can include a synthetic polymer, wherein the synthetic polymer exhibits binding specificity with a disease state marker. The method can further include evaluating the extracorporeal monitoring device for the presence of the disease state marker. Other embodiments are included herein.