Editing Plasmapheresis (section)

{{Short description|Removal, treatment and return of blood plasma}}
{{Infobox medical intervention |
  Name        = Plasmapheresis |
  Image       = Plasmapheresis.jpg |
  Caption     = Plasmapheresis machine |
  ICD10       = {{ICD10PCS|6A5|6/A/5}} |
  ICD9        = {{ICD9proc|99.7}} |
  MeshID      = D010956 |
  OtherCodes  = |
}}
'''Plasmapheresis''' (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] πλάσμα, ''plasma'', something molded, and ἀφαίρεσις ''aphairesis'', taking away) is the removal, treatment, and return or exchange of [[blood plasma]] or components thereof from and to the [[circulatory system|blood circulation]]. It is thus an [[extracorporeal therapy]], a medical procedure performed outside the body.<ref name="Ruizetal">{{cite journal |last1=Daga Ruiz |first1=D. |last2=Fonseca San Miguel |first2=F. |last3=González de Molina |first3=F.J. |last4=Úbeda-Iglesias |first4=A. |last5=Navas Pérez |first5=A. |last6=Jannone Forés |first6=R. |title=Plasmapheresis and other extracorporeal filtration techniques in critical patients |journal=Medicina Intensiva |date=April 2017 |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=174–187 |doi=10.1016/j.medin.2016.10.005 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0210569116302455 |access-date=5 January 2025|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Three general types of plasmapheresis can be distinguished:
* ''Autologous'', removing blood plasma, treating it in some way, and returning it to the same person, as a therapy.
* ''Exchange'', a patient's blood plasma is removed, while [[blood product]]s are given in replacement. This type is called plasma exchange (PE, PLEX, or PEX) or plasma exchange therapy (PET). The removed plasma is discarded and the patient receives replacement donor plasma, [[albumin]], or a combination of albumin and [[saline (medicine)|saline]] (usually 70% albumin and 30% saline).
* ''Donation'', removing blood plasma, separating its components, and returning some of them to the same person, while holding out others to become blood products that this person donates for those in need. In such a [[blood donation#Apheresis|plasma donation]] procedure, blood is removed from the body, [[blood cell]]s and plasma are separated, and the blood cells are returned, while the plasma is collected and frozen to preserve it for eventual use as [[fresh frozen plasma]] or as an ingredient in the manufacture of [[blood product]]s.<ref name=Frozen>{{cite web |url=https://bloodbanker.com/plasma/plasma-donation/why-donate-plasma/ |title=Why Donate Plasma |access-date=26 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125080240/https://bloodbanker.com/plasma/plasma-donation/why-donate-plasma/ |archive-date=25 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Plasmapheresis of the autologous and exchange types is used to treat a variety of disorders, including those of the [[immune system]], such as [[Goodpasture's syndrome]],<ref name=MedlinePlus>{{cite web|last=MedlinePlus|title=Goodpasture syndrome|url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000142.htm|publisher=U.S. National Library of Medicine|access-date=7 April 2013}}</ref> [[Guillain–Barré syndrome]], [[lupus]], [[myasthenia gravis]],<ref>{{cite journal|title=Response to plasmapheresis in myasthenia gravis patients: 22 cases report|pmid=23330293|year=2012|last1=Yazdi|first1=MF|last2=Baghianimoghadam|first2=M|last3=Nazmiyeh|first3=H|last4=Ahmadabadi|first4=AD|last5=Adabi|first5=MA|volume=50|issue=3|pages=245–47|journal= Revue roumaine de médecine interne}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Therapeutic apheresis in myasthenia gravis|pmid=10975473|year=2000|last1=Batocchi|first1=AP|last2=Evoli|first2=A|last3=Di Schino|first3=C|last4=Tonali|first4=P|volume=4|issue=4|pages=275–79|journal=Therapeutic Apheresis|doi=10.1046/j.1526-0968.2000.004004275.x}}</ref> and [[thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura]].