[Plasmapheresis in the complex treatment of patients with acutely progressive pulmonary tuberculosis].

The efficiency of plasmapheresis versus routine methods of detoxification in the complex treatment was compared in 100 patients with acutely progressive pulmonary tuberculosis. After 2 and 4 months, plasmapheresis was found to arrest the intoxication syndrome in 56 and 100% of the patients, respectively. This treatment in these patients resulted in ceased bacterial isolation in 52% of the patients following 2 months and lung cavern closure in 36% of cases after 6 months. This ultimately reduced the time of hospital stay on the average of 2 months, its duration being not longer than 7-8 months.