I wonder about PE also.

I looked up several PE reference sites. I liked this from the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Well, we do have MDA don’t we?

“[I]…What is plasmapheresis?

Plasmapheresis is a process in which the fluid part of the blood, called plasma, is removed from blood cells by a device known as a cell separator. The separator works either by spinning the blood at high speed to separate the cells from the fluid or by passing the blood through a membrane with pores so small that only the fluid part of the blood can pass through. The cells are returned to the person undergoing treatment, while the plasma, which contains the antibodies, is discarded and replaced with other fluids. Medication to keep the blood from clotting (an anticoagulant) is given through a vein during the procedure…[/I]”

I took note of the part about, or close enough to, all plasma is removed and replaced by ‘other fluids.’ All plasma? See the next paragraph.

Refer to this part of the same article, “[I]…Excessive suppression of the immune system can temporarily occur with plasmapheresis, since the procedure isn’t selective about which antibodies it removes. In time, the body can replenish its supply of needed antibodies, but some physicians give these intravenously after each plasmapheresis treatment. Outpatients may have to take special precautions against infection….[/I]”

The whole deal is here, and last updated 12/2010. Hope you’ll read it all:
[url]http://www.mda.org/publications/fa-plasmaph.html[/url]

Question- What is the plasma they give back to you?