Abstract
In clinical Double Filtration Plasmapheresis (DFPP) (Recycle Method) the processing of a plasma volume of more than 3000mls requires a change, or rinse of the second filter, and rinsing is preferred for economic reasons. In processing a regular quantity of 4000mls each session, the second filter been reverse rinsed at either half-volume (2000mls) processed or at reaching a transmembrane pressure gradient of 400mmHg across the second filter. Either of these could be used to indicate when to rinse the filter. We evaluated the effects of each method on removal rates of the plasma components, and found that when rinsing at half-volume, the removal rate of albumin was 13.7% and of HDL-cholesterol was 20.0%, and when rinsing at reaching 400mmHg transmembrane pressure the removal rates were 20.5% for albumin and 44.1% for HDL-cholesterol. We conclude and recommend therefore that the second filter be reverse rinsed after processing a half volume of 2000mls.
