The removal of whole blood from a patient using a blood cell separator where the blood is separated into its components.  The component with the disease-causing substance is selectively removed and the remaining blood components are reinfused back into the patient.

The patient is connected to a blood cell separator machine via a vein or catheter.  Whole blood is removed from the patient and separated into its components by a centrifugation process.  After the separation, the unwanted component is discarded and the remaining components are reinfused back into the patient.  This procedure requires two needles to be inserted into the veins, one in each arm; however, in patients with small or inadequate veins, it may be necessary to insert a special catheter into the large veins in the neck, under the collarbone or in the groin area to allow adequate blood flow for the procedure.  

• Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (Plasmapheresis)
• White Cell Reduction (Leukapheresis)
• Platelet Reduction (Plateletpheresis)
• Red Cell Exchange/Reduction (Erythrocytapheresis)
• Cellular Therapy Product Collection
• Extracorporeal Photopheresis
• Low Density Lipid Apheresis

Each procedure takes several hours, the actual time depending on a number of factors including the disease being treated, size of the patient, type of machine being used, vascular access, patient's hemodynamic stability, patient's hematocrit, blood flow rate, and plasma flow rate. Treatments are prescribed in volumes of plasma to be exchanged.  Generally, a four-liter exchange will take about two-and-a-half (2 1/2) hours, with a range of one to four (1-4) hours.

There is no magic number of procedures that should be performed.  The frequency of treatment is dependant on a number of factors, such as the medical condition, symptoms, type of procedure performed, and the physician's recommendation.