In this treatment, blood is removed from a vein. The blood cells are separated from the blood plasma (liquid part of the blood) and then returned to the patient. The discarded plasma contains the abnormal antibody protein produced by the myeloma cells. It can be replaced with a salt solution and plasma from donors.
Plasmapheresis is helpful when certain myeloma proteins build up, thicken the blood, and interfere with circulation (called hyperviscosity). Although plasmapheresis can relieve some symptoms, it does not kill the myeloma cells. For that reason, plasmapheresis is often followed by chemo or some other type of drug treatment to kill the cells that make the protein.
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