About the Treatment Method
The Apheresis Procedure and Areas of Use
It is widely used to clear harmful antibodies from the blood (Plasmapheresis) in neurological diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis and Guillain-Barre; to lower excessive white blood cells in leukemias; or to collect healthy stem cells prior to a bone marrow transplant.
Vascular access is established in both arms of the patient (or through a special catheter). Blood is drawn from one arm to the apheresis machine, the desired cells are filtered out via centrifugation, and the blood returns to the body cleaned through the other arm. There is only a slight pain during the needle insertion; no pain is felt during the procedure.
Although it varies depending on the type of cell to be collected or cleared and the patient's blood volume, a session generally lasts between 2 and 4 hours. The patient is awake throughout the procedure and can read a book or watch television.
The information on this page is for general health advice. Please consult specialized physicians for personalized treatment or advice.
