dimanche 15 octobre 2017

Learn More About Therapeutic Plasma Exchange

By Ann Scott


Plasma is a colorless liquid that is the main component of the blood. It has many functions in the body including transporting of substances as well as aiding in blood clotting in case of injuries. It is also prone to the infection by harmful organisms and antigens that may result in decreased effectiveness of the functioning of disease-fighting antibodies. This approach aims at elimination the unhealthy substances through the removal of the fluid itself. The other components of the blood namely the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets remain unaltered. Should such a life-threatening condition occur, Therapeutic Plasma Exchange should be carried out.

Mostly, this procedure is undertaken as a remedy for neurological conditions and illnesses that lead to harmful antibody creation in the body. The reason is that these compounds will be suspended in this fluid. It is a method that deals with other diseases like acute pancreatitis, myasthenia gravis, and Lambert-Eaton and so on. This procedure is not concerned with offering the actual or definite cure for the conditions but is lowers their progress rate and resistance ability.

This procedure is done using a special machine that is responsible for the separation of the colorless fluid from the blood. It does so by dividing the different parts of the blood and draining out the fluid. It is recommended that more than one treatment should be done for complete effectiveness. The patient should set a schedule that allows several treatment procedures each lasting for about two to four hours.

The patient is normally injected in the veins located on both arms. The type of needle used is an IV needle that is connected to the machine through a tube that allows the blood access to and from the machine. Blood clots may occur and prevent smooth passage of the rest of your blood through the tube. To avoid this, anticoagulants are added into the blood after it is drawn.

On reaching the special machine, different components of the blood are detached from each other. Once separated, the machine is designed to remove the colorless fluid and replace it with a relevant substitute. It is preferable that the replaced fluid be plasma that is given from a human donor. However, if this is not possible other substitutes such saline and albumin are used.

However, this procedure is also risky in its own way. The first risk is that if the replacement comes from a donor whose antibodies are not compatible with yours, this may cause reactions that may result in conditions like anaphylaxis. On the other hand, in the case where saline or albumin is used, the body may become prone to health risks more as they do not contain enough proteins as compared to this fluid.

It is also concerned with causing conditions like hypertension and head related problems. That is why it is recommended to undergo the procedure in the case where this is the only option left. However, in order to make this decision, the symptoms observed should be convincing for the procedure.

With all the risks involved, it is considered to be a comparatively safe procedure. Studies have shown that these exchanges are well tolerated by the body. In the case of adverse side effects, supplementary medications can be administered to lower the symptoms and risks of other infections.




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