Juan Pablo II Hospital performs first pediatric plasmapheresis in Northeast Argentina

The Juan Pablo II Pediatric Hospital has successfully performed the first pediatric plasmapheresis in the Northeast region of Argentina. The procedure was conducted on a 12-year-old girl suffering from severe vasculitis associated with ANCA antibodies, a condition causing inflammation of the blood vessels that affects renal and pulmonary functions.

Plasmapheresis is a high-complexity technique where a patient's blood is extracted to separate the plasma from the blood cells. The affected plasma is then replaced with a substitution solution or healthy plasma before the cells are reinfused into the body. This procedure was made possible through the hospital's hemofiltration equipment and a multidisciplinary team including Dr. Alberto Gómez, Dr. Bibiana Rigonatto, Dr. Blanca Alarcón, and Dr. Juan Carlos Balbi.

Previously, pediatric patients in the region requiring this level of care had to be urgently transferred to specialized national institutions in Buenos Aires, such as the Garrahan or Gutiérrez hospitals. This new capability allows local children to access advanced therapies without the need for long-distance medical transfers.