plasmapheresis

noun

plas·​ma·​phe·​re·​sis ˌplaz-mə-fə-ˈrē-səs  -ˈfer-ə-səs 

: a process for removing blood plasma without depleting the donor or patient of other blood constituents (such as red blood cells) by separating out the plasma from the whole blood and returning the rest to the donor's or patient's circulatory system

Examples of plasmapheresis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Your healthcare team may recommend a procedure known as plasmapheresis to remove the excess proteins. —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 21 Feb. 2025

For instance, plasma exchange (also called plasmapheresis) is used to treat some blood disorders and autoimmune conditions. —Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Such patients can sometimes stage dramatic recoveries with help from steroids and other immune-modulating treatments such as plasmapheresis, in which blood is circulated outside the body to purge plasma of antibodies. —Christie Wilcox, science.org, 27 Dec. 2024

The traditional plasmapheresis method uses a rapid spinning process to separate different components in blood cells from the plasma. —Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 8 Aug. 2024

Therapeutic Plasmapheresis Therapeutic plasmapheresis removes certain components from plasma and then returns the plasma back to the body. —Gagandeep Brar, Verywell Health, 15 Aug. 2024

The term plasmapheresis is often used interchangeably with plasma exchange, but the two procedures are slightly different. —Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 8 Aug. 2024

John was trying something new, treating it with plasmapheresis. —Grant Delin, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2012

Yale Medicine says that doctors can prescribe medications including sedatives, muscle relaxants, and steroids; immunotherapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis; and other modalities like physical, occupational, and aqua therapy. —Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 8 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from plasm- + Greek aphairesis taking off — more at aphaeresis

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for plasmapheresis

• cytokinesis
• paracentesis
• amniocentesis
• spondylolisthesis
• enuresis
• pollicis
• rhesus
• thesis

Medical Definition

plasmapheresis

noun

plas·​ma·​pher·​e·​sis ˌplaz-mə-ˈfer-ə-səs  -fə-ˈrē-səs 

plural plasmaphereses -ˌsēz 

: apheresis used to remove blood plasma (as in the treatment of myasthenia gravis or in the collection of blood plasma for use in transfusion)