Contents
Cryoapheresis (cryoprecipitation) is a method of treatment in which pathological substances are selectively removed from the blood plasma, but all the necessary structures in the human body are preserved. This method consists in cooling the plasma. Cleaning of the plasma taken from the patient’s blood is carried out using a separator, which has special filtration columns – they just eliminate exclusively pathological substances.
Before cryoapheresis, the tasks are to stop or significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease, the risk of developing a heart attack and stroke, to achieve a confident remission and extend its period in chronic diseases, to reduce the intensity of acceptable complications.
Cryopheresis helps to normalize or improve the data of a number of studies (functional study of blood vessels, Holter monitoring, VEM, ultrasound, EchoCG, ECG), normalize blood cholesterol, reduce atherogenicity, blood clotting, predisposition to blood clots and blood viscosity.
The procedure restores blood circulation and elasticity of vessel walls, reduces atherosclerotic plaques and deposits, improves blood supply to internal organs (sleep, memory, concentration, mood, male potency, performance and endurance).
Cryopheresis will also help increase drug responsiveness. In addition, this technique is used to prevent and stop stopping the destruction of the patient’s ability to work.
Indications for the procedure
There are cryoapheresis short and long-term treatment, which includes no more than 5-7 procedures within 2-4 days. This method of treatment is performed from 6 to 18 months – during this period of therapy, plasma is processed 2-3 times.
A long-term course of cryoapheresis is prescribed for chronic ailments of the body, such as cardiac ischemia, atherosclerosis, coronary bypass grafting, myocardial infarction. First, a course of treatment is performed, then there is an increase in the transition period between the implementation of the procedures and the amount of plasma taken. In addition to this technique, other procedures can also be prescribed, it is used independently for skin and autoimmune diseases, hepatitis C, atherosclerotic vascular disease.
This method helps to obtain a confident remission in chronically ill patients, a colossal reduction in the signs of the disease, normalization of blood supply and rehabilitation of the walls of blood vessels, and a reduction in the risk of sudden cardiological conditions.
Cryoapheresis has only positive feedback from patients to date. After therapy, no serious complications were observed, but there is still a possibility of occurrence:
- bleeding;
- suppuration;
- manifestations of allergies;
- dizziness;
- pressure surges and weakness.
Contraindications cryoapheresis
Although the cryoapheresis procedure itself is quite safe and brings only a positive result, it still has a number of contraindications, like any treatment. These contraindications are divided into 2 types.
Absolute (categorically prohibited): the presence of a source of bleeding or a high risk of its resumption, the presence of a closed purulent source, the manifestation of an allergy to any components of the treatment session.
Relative (when the procedure is allowed under the closer supervision of a doctor in the event that the course of treatment itself is impossible without it):
- severe cardiovascular ailments;
- hypotension, anemia, hypoproteinemia;
- exacerbation of phlebitis of peripheral veins;
- lack of venous passage;
- withdrawal anxiety;
- critical stage of infectious diseases and inflammations;
- violations of hemostasis;
- menstruation;
- risk of premature birth or miscarriage in early pregnancy.
The process of cryoapheresis
The patient is seated in a chair and with the help of certain medical equipment, the required amount of plasma is taken through the vein, and so he sits until the end of the process.
The main thing is not to bend the arm in which the needle is installed all this time, otherwise in the process you can read books, talk on the phone, watch TV, listen to music, work on a laptop, etc., and even drink tea, coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages.
After the end of the session, a bandage is applied to the needle installation site, with which the person leaves the hospital. This bandage must be kept for at least six hours.
Immediately after the plasma is taken, it is sent for processing. A solution of heparin is added to the plasma – under its influence, the formation of a precipitate appears. Sterile packed plasma is placed in a freezer at -2°.
Before the next session, the plasma is transferred to a refrigerator for defrosting, and before starting therapy, it is centrifuged to obtain a cryoprecipitate sediment. The sedimentary plasma is passed through the hemosorbent into sterile bags. Immediately before entering the plasma to the patient, it is heated in a water bath to 37 °.
Possible complications
When carrying out such a method of treatment, serious complications are not observed, however, there are a number of few points that the patient should be familiar with.
Firstly, it may be a slight bleeding in the vein puncture area, it must be quickly stopped by applying a tight bandage. Secondly, the patient may complain of short-term dizziness, which is directly related to jumps in blood pressure during the session.
Thirdly, the patient may feel a general slight weakness between courses of treatment, although it does not manifest itself in every person at all and does not interfere with the patient’s usual way of life.
Fourthly, the patient may have an allergy to those drugs that are used during the procedure itself.
Even less often, there is the appearance of sensations such as temporary headaches, mild nausea, numbness or tingling in the area of the lips, nose, fingers, as well as twitching of muscle tissue. It is important to remember that at the very beginning of the procedure, the patient may experience an exacerbation of the disease itself, but this is only at the first stages of therapy.
If a person has more severe forms of the disease, then complications can be more acute. This is especially true in cases where the patient was already in a serious condition and, possibly, was in intensive care.
The process of preparing the patient for the procedure
I would like to note that cryoapheresis is performed only if the patient has a laboratory test for the detection of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Also, the patient must necessarily familiarize himself with all the documents that describe the details of this procedure, fill out and sign a voluntary consent to medical or diagnostic manipulation, as well as to medical intervention.
To perform the cryoapheresis procedure, the patient does not need specific preparation. Only the attending doctor can prescribe blood sampling for certain laboratory tests immediately before the session itself.
Therefore, it is better for the patient to come to the clinic with an empty stomach in order to avoid embarrassment. After taking blood for the laboratory, a person can easily have breakfast, sitting in a chair right during the session.