Partial Plasma Exchange

Partial Plasma Exchange is an advanced version of TPE (Therapeutic Plasma Exchange) which our medical team uses in combination with H.E.L.P. Apheresis due to the significantly better risk-benefit profile in chronic illness. This therapy is not used for patients suffering from fatigue/PEM. For some of those patients it is used later on in the therapy course (when the fatigue/PEM has subsided already).

Note: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) with albumin (artificial plasma) can have severe side effects for people with chronic illness. This is why we developed a much 'softer' version (Partial Plasma Exchange) where only a small fraction of the plasma is exchanged at the end of a H.E.L.P. Apheresis therapy with saline (NaCl. 0,9%). In other words - it increases the efficiency of the original H.E.L.P. Apheresis by removing an even higher percentage of autoantibodies and pathogens, but as it also removes a small fraction of the plasma, which is why it can not be used for fatigue/PEM patients. 

Side effects if removal/administration ratio and timing are handled wrong include swollen ankles and facial oedemas.

You will find extensive information on our blog post about different types of Apheresis and which type is suitable for which purpose HERE