Doctors used rare plasmapheresis treatment on 40-year-old epileptic patient to save his life

First case of successful plasmapheresis of an epileptic patient at Paras Hospital, Gurugram

• The patient had never before experienced epilepsy          
• His brain was getting damaged and his respiration was deteriorating as well
• Only 200 cases of successful plasmapheresis have been reported worldwide to date

Gurugram, 25^th May, 2022: In a rare case, doctors at Paras Hospitals in Gurugram used plasmapheresis to save the life of a 40-year-old male epileptic patient. This treatment involves withdrawing blood, separating it into plasma and cells, and then transfusing the cells back into the bloodstream. It is rarely used in epileptic patients. However, doctors decided to proceed with this treatment because the patient had been experiencing recurrent epileptic seizures for the past three days and his respiration and brain functions were becoming compromised, putting him in grave danger of death.

Paramjeet began experiencing symptoms in April, beginning with a fever and headache that progressed to seizures. Although he was initially treated in his hometown of Bhiwadi for seizure control, things began to deteriorate on the fifth day when he began having uncontrollable seizures. He was referred to Paras Hospital in Gurugram on April 8, 2022, where his life was discovered to be hanging by a thread. When the patient’s response to medications failed, the doctors, led by Dr. Rajnish Kumar, decided to try plasmapheresis.

Commenting on this rare case, Dr. Rajnish Kumar, HOD, Department of Neurology, Paras Hospital, Gurugram, said, “We’ve seen many epileptic patients die as a result of misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment. We decided to proceed with plasmapheresis after seeing that patient was not responding to treatment. Only 200 cases of epileptic patients being saved by plasmapheresis have been reported globally, and it works similarly to dialysis. Fortunately for Paramjeet and us, the treatment worked.”

Paramjeethad no previous history of epilepsy, and doctors believe it was caused by an autoimmune condition. He received three plasmapheresis cycles for a week. The treatment improved his brain function as well as his respiratory system and other organs. On May 13^th, 2022, he was discharged from the hospital after recovering.

“When I was taken to Paras Hospital, I was unconscious. My family had given up all hope. I am alive today thanks to the efforts of Dr. Rajnish’s team. Thank you for saving my life,” said Paramjeet.