Welcome to the Brown University Bio 1080 Spring 2008 website on therapeutic membrane plasmapheresis! Our goal for this website was to provide an in-depth look at this very complex subject. Below is a short video clip introducing the main concepts of plasma exchange (a term often used interchangeably with plasmapheresis).
Note: the last 30 seconds of the video clip turns into an advertisement for an outsourcing company. We are in no way advocating or otherwise endorsing this company. Feel free to skip the last 30 seconds of this clip.
Please refer to the General FAQ for a more in-depth discussion of plasmapheresis.
A hollow fiber plasmafilter
A plasmapheresis machine
Sources:
http://www.mda.org/publications/fa-plasmaph.html
http://blue.regence.com/trgmedpol/medicine/med05.html
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Supportivetherapies/Plasmaexchange
Image Sources:
http://www.baxter.com/images/products/renal/accura.jpg
http://www.usa-gambro.com/upload/Site_us/IC/TPE-unit.gif