What Is Plasmapheresis? A Plain-English Guide to TPE
A plain-English explanation of what happens during plasmapheresis
All articles
Everything published and everything planned, grouped by section.
The basics
What plasmapheresis is, and what it is not
Plasmapheresis vs. Plasma Donation: What's the Difference?
Why the two get confused, and why it matters
Plasmapheresis vs. Dialysis: What's the Difference?
Similar chair, different job
Plasmapheresis: Decades of Use in Hospital Medicine
A short history of a procedure that is not new
Celebrities and TPE
What has actually been said, and what has not
What to expect
Before, during, and after a session
Plasmapheresis Procedure: What to Expect, Step by Step
One session end to end, from the first needle to the walk out
Before your first session
What to bring, what to eat, and what to ask your team
How it feels, and what to say
Cold, tingling, lightheaded. What is normal and when to speak up
Hospital vs. outpatient TPE
Same procedure, very different settings
Costs and choosing care
What you pay for, and what to ask
Plasmapheresis Cost: A Real Line-by-Line TPE Breakdown
A line-by-line breakdown of what a session costs, and why
Why two sessions at the same price aren't the same treatment
Exchange volume, replacement fluid, and monitoring are where the difference hides
Questions to ask any TPE clinic before you book
The short list I would use to tell a careful clinic from the rest
The evidence
The risks, who should skip it, and what the studies actually show
Plasmapheresis Side Effects: Is It Actually Dangerous?
In plain English, and in order of how often they actually happen
Is Plasmapheresis Safe for Seniors? What the Data Shows
What a large study of patients over 75 found
Who is NOT a good candidate for TPE
TPE is not for everyone, and the reasons matter
Where the evidence is still early
Longevity medicine and other newer applications, without the hype
Conditions
Where plasmapheresis is used, and how strong the evidence is
Conditions TPE is well established for
TTP, GBS, myasthenia gravis, CIDP. The conditions where decades of use sit behind the decision
Multiple sclerosis
Where TPE fits, and where it does not
Long COVID
What is being tried, and what has been shown
