Editing Plasmapheresis (section)

===Complications of plasmapheresis therapy===
Though plasmapheresis is helpful in certain medical conditions, like any other therapy, there are potential risks and complications. Insertion of a rather large [[intravenous]] catheter can lead to bleeding, lung puncture (depending on the site of catheter insertion), and, if the catheter is left in too long, it can get infected.<ref name="madore2002">{{cite journal |last1=Madore |first1=François |title=Plasmapheresis |journal=Critical Care Clinics |date=April 2002 |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=375–392 |doi=10.1016/S0749-0704(01)00010-0 |url=https://www.criticalcare.theclinics.com/article/S0749-0704(01)00010-0/fulltext |access-date=5 January 2025|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Aside from placing the catheter, the procedure itself has complications. When patient blood is outside of the body passing through the plasmapheresis machine, the blood has a tendency to clot. To reduce this tendency, in one common protocol,{{which|date=July 2012}} [[sodium citrate]] is infused while the blood is running through the circuit. Citrate binds to [[calcium]] in the blood, calcium being essential for blood to clot. Citrate is very effective in preventing blood from clotting; however, its use can lead to life-threateningly low calcium levels. This can be detected using the [[Chvostek's sign]] or [[Trousseau sign of latent tetany|Trousseau's sign]]. To prevent this complication, calcium is infused intravenously while the patient is undergoing the plasmapheresis; in addition, calcium supplementation by mouth may also be given.<ref name="pinketal2017">{{cite journal |last1=Pink |first1=J. |last2=Bell |first2=B. |last3=Kotsiou |first3=G. |last4=Wright |first4=S. |last5=Thyer |first5=J. |title=Safe and sustainable plasmapheresis |journal=ISBT Science Series |date=November 2017 |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=471–482 |doi=10.1111/voxs.12387 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/voxs.12387 |access-date=5 January 2025|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Other complications include:
* Bleeding or [[hematoma]] from needle placement
* [[Hypotension]]
* Potential exposure to blood products, with risk of [[transfusion reaction]]s or transfusion transmitted diseases
* Suppression of the patient's [[immune system]]