Indikationen und Komplikationen der Plasmapherese im Rahmen der Intensivmedizin

The last two decades have seen a marked change in the role of plasmapheresis in the intensive care unit (ICU). Initially regarded as highly effective in treating virtually any immunological disease, insights in pathophysiology and results from controlled trials have left only a few indications validated. To date, plasmapheresis is indicated for acute treatment of severe immunological disorders either unresponsive to immunosuppression or requiring large volumes of human plasma for therapy. In the future, more specific and less cumbersome methods of immunosuppression and immunomodulation might further limit indications of plasmapheresis. In this review, current indications and side-effects of plasmapheresis in the ICU setting are summarized.