Plasmapheresis in the Tokai University Medical Center, 1983-1989

There were 634 instances of plasmapheresis performed on 152 patients in the Kidney Center, Tokai University Hospital, in the seven year period from Jan. 1983 to Dec. 1989. The average number of plasmapheresis treatments per patient was highest for those with neurological and dermatological disease (6.7), followed by liver disease (5.6), and drug intoxication (1.2). The major treatment modalities for the liver, collagen, drug intoxication, hematologic, neurologic and hyperlipidemic disorders were plasma exchange (PE) and double filter plasmapheresis (DFPP). Recently, however, the use of plasma perfusion (PP) and immunoadsorbent plasma perfusion (IPP) has been increasing because of their ability to selectively adsorb various pathologic macromolecules.