Plasmapheresis

Plasmapheresis separates plasma from blood cells and removes or replaces it. It can reduce harmful substances circulating in plasma or collect plasma for transfusion and manufacturing.

Apheresis: A procedure that separates blood into components and collects or removes selected components. Plasmapheresis is one form of this broader blood-component separation procedure.
Therapeutic plasma exchange: A treatment that removes a patient's plasma and replaces it with donor plasma or another fluid. This is the clinical form used to lower harmful plasma constituents.
Blood plasma: The liquid component of blood in which blood cells, proteins, salts, nutrients, and waste products are suspended. Plasma is the component separated and removed or replaced in plasmapheresis.
Red blood cell exchange: A procedure that removes a patient's red blood cells and replaces them with donor red blood cells. It targets red cells rather than removing or replacing plasma.
Centrifugation: A separation method that uses rapid rotation to divide materials by density. Some plasmapheresis systems use density differences to separate plasma from blood cells.
Plasma donation: The collection of plasma from a donor while returning blood cells to the donor. Donated plasma is collected through plasmapheresis for transfusion or manufacturing.
Blood cells: The red cells, white cells, and platelets carried in circulating blood. Most plasmapheresis methods return these cellular components to the circulation.
Plateletpheresis: A procedure that collects platelets from a donor while returning other blood components. It collects a cellular component instead of collecting or exchanging plasma.
Membrane filtration: A separation method that passes fluid through a porous barrier while retaining selected particles or cells. Filtration separates plasma through a membrane rather than by spinning blood.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: A rare disorder in which small blood clots form throughout the body and platelet counts fall. Urgent plasma exchange is a standard treatment for immune-mediated cases.

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