Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri has become the first private hospital to offer blood plasma exchange therapy, also known as plasmapheresis. The availability of this therapy is welcome news, as it can help alleviate symptoms of diseases such as multiple myeloma and severe or crisis-stage autoimmune conditions like myasthenia gravis (MG).
Plasmapheresis is a type of apheresis, a procedure that allows doctors to remove or replace components of the blood. Sometimes, to treat a disease, certain blood components need to be removed or replaced. In plasmapheresis, the component that is removed and replaced is the plasma.
Plasma Exchange Therapy as a Treatment Option for Autoimmune Diseases and Blood Cancer
Plasma is the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies. In diseases such as autoimmune disorders and blood cancers like multiple myeloma, these antibodies are the source of the problem.
In multiple myeloma, abnormal plasma cells multiply excessively. These cells produce a type of protein (M protein) that can accumulate and thicken the blood, impeding blood flow. Additionally, the protein can damage the kidneys. In autoimmune conditions like MG, antibodies in the plasma—which are supposed to protect the body—attack healthy cells instead.
During plasma exchange therapy, the patient’s plasma is separated using a specialized machine. The abnormal plasma is then discarded and replaced with a substitute fluid. The goal is to reduce and relieve the severe symptoms experienced by the patient.
In multiple myeloma, plasmapheresis acts as a supportive treatment. This means it helps temporarily relieve symptoms and treat complications, especially kidney damage caused by myeloma.
“For severe MG cases, plasma exchange therapy can be used to address MG crises, one of which is characterized by respiratory failure,” explained Erwin Suyanto, Public Relations Officer of Mandaya Hospital Group.
While this therapy can ease severe symptoms of MG, it does not replace the role of prescribed medications. Moreover, to achieve optimal results, patients may need to undergo the therapy more than once, depending on their condition.
Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri has a comprehensive plasmapheresis therapy team, including neurology specialist with a neuromuscular subspecialty, Dr. Luh Ari Indrawati, Sp.N, Subsp. E.N.K.(K), who has experience treating myasthenia gravis and other rare autoimmune neurological disorders.
The hospital also has a team of internal medicine doctors who are hematology-oncology consultants (Sp.PD-KHOM), including Dr. Toman T.J. Lumban Toruan, Sp.PD-KHOM, and Dr. Alvin Tagor Harahap, Sp.PD-KHOM, who specialize in treating multiple myeloma and various types of blood cancers.
Mandaya also houses a Blood Cancer Center that treats various forms of blood cancer. In addition to plasmapheresis, the hospital offers chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy using the Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator.
Each blood cancer case at Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri is reviewed in collaboration with the NCIS-NUH team in Singapore to determine diagnosis, patient condition, therapy effectiveness, and the best treatment options.
For autoimmune diseases affecting nerves and muscles, Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri has a neuromuscular center equipped with advanced medical technology and comprehensive laboratory facilities, such as Anti-MuSK antibody testing and genetic testing using whole genome sequencing and whole exome sequencing.
Successful Plasma Exchange Therapy Performed at Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri
Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri has successfully treated a myasthenia gravis crisis using apheresis. The patient, who previously experienced respiratory failure, is now able to return to daily activities thanks to the effective reduction of MG symptoms.
The success of the apheresis procedure at Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri is clear evidence that the medical teams and treatments available in Indonesia are highly capable and even competitive on a global scale.
“Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri never stops bringing the latest innovations in medicine and delivering comprehensive care to patients, so the public no longer needs to seek treatment abroad—because medical care and professionals in Indonesia are already highly competent.”