Global demand for therapeutic plasmapheresis is rising to treat various immunological, rheological, and lipoprotein-related disorders. Traditional therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) removes plasma entirely and replaces it with costly substitution fluids, making it less sustainable. Semi-specific methods like plasma adsorption and double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) avoid this by purifying and reinfusing the patient's own plasma.
DFPP, although effective and widely reimbursed in Europe and Asia, relies on membrane-based plasma separation systems that require high blood flow rates and offer limited plasma extraction efficiency, which prolongs treatment and often necessitates central venous access.
Centrifugation-based systems allow lower blood flow rates and higher plasma extraction ratios, but existing devices are not designed for automated double-cascade plasmapheresis.
To address these limitations, our department has implemented a new strategy: Centrifugation and Filtration Plasmapheresis (CFPP), which combines centrifugation for initial plasma separation with membrane filtration for secondary purification. CFPP maintains the safety and efficacy of DFPP while offering key advantages: easier peripheral venous access, shorter procedures, no need for replacement fluids, and reinfusion of purified autologous plasma.