A procedure for the removal or reduction in concentration of unwanted substances in the blood; also called plasma exchange. Blood is withdrawn from the body and the plasma portion is removed by machines called cell separators. The blood cells are then mixed with a plasma substitute and returned to the circulation. Plasmapheresis is used to remove damaging antibodies or antibody-antigen particles from the circulation in autoimmune disorders such as myasthenia gravis and Goodpasture’s syndrome.
Plasmapheresis |
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