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a medical procedure removing blood, separating and filtering the plasma to treat certain conditions, and returning the blood cells to the individual
What is "plasmapheresis"?
Plasmapheresis is a medical procedure that involves separating plasma, the colorless liquid in blood, from the blood and removing it from the body. During plasmapheresis, blood is drawn from a patient's vein and passed through a machine that separates the plasma from the blood cells. The plasma, which contains antibodies or other substances that may be causing illness, is then removed or replaced with a substitute fluid. The blood cells are then returned to the patient's body. Plasmapheresis is used to treat various autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions, and certain types of poisoning by removing harmful substances from the bloodstream. It helps to ease symptoms and manage certain diseases by temporarily changing the structure of the blood.
