Plasmapheresis as an alternative or adjunctive therapy in problem cases of pemphigus.

7 patients with pemphigus unresponsive to and/or with side effects from conventional therapy were treated by plasma exchange using three different procedures. Results were good and confirmed that plasmapheresis may actually be an alternative or adjunctive method of treating problem cases of pemphigus. The current drawbacks related to plasma exchange might be overcome in the future by dialysis of the patients' own plasma through suitable immunoadsorbent matrixes.