Plasmapheresis is a method of removing plasma from the blood circulation . During the procedure, the formed elements of the blood are not removed , and the plasma is replaced by blood substitute fluids. At the same time, harmful substances are removed from the body along with plasma (inflammatory mediators, cholesterol, lipids, endotoxins), blood viscosity decreases, sensitivity to drugs increases, and immunity is corrected.
What is plasma?
It is known that blood consists of red and white blood cells, platelets (platelets) and a fluid in which these cellular elements are present in suspension. Such a liquid is a solution of proteins and electrolytes and is called "plasma" (photo is in the article).
Ways to cleanse the plasma
Plasma can be cleaned using the power of gravity or special filters. In the first case, blood is passed through a centrifuge; in the second case, porous membrane filters are used.
In order to separate plasma from blood, membrane plasmapheresis is used. During the procedure, ballast cells and toxic substances are removed from the blood. To do this, the plasma is distilled through special filters. Membrane plasmapheresis is a fairly effective way to treat various diseases, as a result of which the internal environment of the human body changes. Medicines in this situation are powerless.
Such ailments include:
With the help of membrane plasmapheresis, immunity is normalized, hematopoietic cells are activated, the healing process is accelerated, blood movement is accelerated in the capillaries, the probability of a fatal outcome is significantly reduced.
When blood is cleansed of immune cells, the symptoms of autoimmune diseases are eliminated. After cleansing the blood of excess fat, the course of atherosclerosis can be alleviated. Membrane plasmapheresis can improve the well-being of the patient after an irradiation procedure or chemotherapy. It is very effective in conditions such as narcological diseases, Rh conflict in pregnant women, urogenital infections, and the recovery period after viral hepatitis. Plasmapheresis makes it possible to minimize the likelihood of secondary complications of diabetes.
Cascade plasmapheresis is a method of blood purification, which consists in passing the plasma through a special filter with fairly small pores. During the procedure, the plasma is cleaned of large molecules of fat and protein. This technique was developed back in 1980 by Japanese scientists. Today it is widely used to treat atherosclerosis with a large amount of lipids in the blood, as well as to prevent pathologies such as heart attack, aneurysm, and stroke. The use of cascade plasmapheresis in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, myeloma and many other ailments has been proven.
Donor and therapeutic plasmapheresis
Donor plasmapheresis is a procedure that involves the collection of plasma from a donor (that is, healthy people). The amount of material collected is strictly regulated by donor laws. The blood extracted from the human body is passed through a special apparatus, the formed elements are poured back, and the resulting plasma is subjected to preservation and used to create blood products or subsequent transfusion.
During the treatment procedure, up to 30% of the patient’s blood is processed at a time. It is taken out of the body in portions, passed through the apparatus and poured back in a purified state.
Indications for the procedure
Plasmapheresis is not a wellness procedure that can be performed by everyone. This is an additional auxiliary treatment when the main therapy does not give the desired result.
In addition to the above diseases, plasmapheresis treatment is indicated for:
alcoholism;
addiction;
bronchial asthma;
oncological diseases;
coronary heart disease;
angina pectoris;
arterial hypertension;
thromboembolism;
trophic ulcers of the digestive tract;
cirrhosis of the liver;
liver failure;
glomerulonephritis with nephrotic syndrome ;
arterial hypertension, not amenable to medical treatment;
septic shock with purulent processes;
dermatological ailments.
Contraindications
Absolute contraindications to this procedure are a duodenal ulcer and stomach, accompanied by bleeding, and a violation of blood coagulation.
Relative contraindications include:
traumatic, anaphylactic and other types of shock;
severe liver disease, acute form of infectious hepatitis;
patients older than 70 years, suffering from anemia in combination with heart disease;
insufficiently expressed peripheral venous network.
Feasible side effects
Basically, the procedure is well tolerated. Very rarely, a migraine-like state or mild nausea can be observed. However, such unpleasant phenomena pass on their own in a short time.
The procedure poses a serious danger only in case of poor coagulation of the patient: bleeding may occur. When treating blood, anticoagulants are used to prevent clotting. With poor coagulability, such an additive can cause complete non-clotting of blood.
Applied Equipment
Devices with which plasma is separated (photo on the right) are portable and stationary. The former allow you to conduct a plasmapheresis session even at home in the patient. Modern devices take small portions of blood and clean them one by one. Portable equipment is convenient in that it can be easily transported and installed near the patient’s bed without having to transfer it to another room for the procedure.
After only 40 ml of blood has been taken, the blood flow is blocked by a special valve. Blood is cleansed and returned back to the body. Then comes the fence of a new portion. Therefore, during the procedure, there is no discomfort.
A good device can cleanse and return up to 100 ml of blood to the patient’s body in just a minute. At the same time, about 800 ml of plasma can be obtained in an hour.
Procedure
The duration of the procedure is about 90 minutes. There is no discomfort during its implementation. The patient is placed in a special chair, catheters are inserted into the veins of both hands. Further, the patient can listen to music or watch TV, if any, in the clinic. The device will do the rest. While the procedure lasts, the patient's condition is constantly monitored: his pressure, respiration, pulse and the presence of oxygen in the blood are measured.
In one session, up to 25-30% of the blood can be cleaned, so a complete cleaning requires at least 3 procedures. The doctor determines the amount of blood to be cleaned during the session individually, taking into account the patient’s body weight, his age and general condition of the body.
Blood purification is a complex procedure, therefore, after its completion, the patient should be under the supervision of a specialist for 30-60 minutes.
Plasmapheresis can be done without any special preparation. And after the procedure, no special recommendations need to be followed. However, in some cases, the doctor may give some advice.
Plasmapheresis during pregnancy
The procedure can be prescribed in the process of preparing for conception and for prevention, as well as as one of the treatment methods. Before pregnancy, this technique is used to remove poisons accumulated in the body of a smoking woman. If during the period of carrying the baby the woman suffers from severe toxicosis, then two sessions of plasmapheresis will help to significantly improve the condition of the future mother.
Plasmapheresis allows women with severe toxicosis and placental insufficiency to successfully endure and give birth to a healthy baby.
This procedure reduces the risk of problems such as intrauterine infection, lightness and oxygen starvation by 1.5 times. Plasmapheresis minimizes the likelihood of bleeding during childbirth, as the blood composition normalizes and the likelihood of thrombosis decreases.
In the case of severe forms of gestosis, this method gives very good results. The use of plasmapheresis is proven in the following cases:
Up to 40% of blood is processed per session. It is necessary to carry out 2 or more procedures with a frequency of 3-4 days.
Is the procedure dangerous?
Plasmapheresis is an almost safe procedure.
Use only disposable tubes, catheters. All kits are completely sterile and sealed.
The patient is constantly under the supervision of a doctor.
The procedure is painless. Circulatory disorders do not occur in the process: when the myocardium contracts, blood is withdrawn from the body, and when it expands, it flows back.
With plasmapheresis, medications that can cause complications or side effects are not used. Saline is used to flush the tubes through which the blood passes.
Plasmapheresis: the cost of the procedure
Before deciding on a plasmapheresis procedure, you need to make sure that the clinic has a good reputation. You should contact only specialized medical institutions that have solid experience in carrying out this procedure. It should be carried out only by experienced specialists who have undergone special training. Suspiciously low plasmapheresis prices should alert you. The cost of one session in Moscow clinics is in the range of 4-5 thousand rubles. The price of a course of 5 plasmapheresis procedures averages 19-22 thousand rubles.