The sudden death of Giorgos Mazonakis at the age of 54 has sent shockwaves through the Greek music world, with the artistic community and thousands of fans mourning one of the most iconic singers of his generation. At the same time, new questions are emerging about the final hours of his life and the treatment he was reportedly about to undergo before suffering a cardiac arrest. According to Live News, that treatment was plasmapheresis — a specialized therapeutic procedure used for specific autoimmune, neurological, and hematological conditions that involves separating blood from plasma.
Giorgos Mazonakis: What is plasmapheresis?
Plasmapheresis is the therapeutic procedure that, according to reporting by MEGA, Giorgos Mazonakis was reportedly about to undergo before suffering a cardiac arrest. The 54-year-old singer was transported by ambulance to “Elpis” Hospital with no spontaneous breathing and no pulse, and the cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed was unsuccessful. According to information from the Live News program, the singer had visited a private clinic for plasmapheresis and is reported to have suffered cardiac arrest at the moment a venous catheter was inserted.
Plasmapheresis: What it is and when it is used
However, according to a report broadcast on STAR’s main evening news bulletin, plasmapheresis is not a simple routine procedure — it is used in serious medical conditions, including cases where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body itself. In such cases, it may be applied to treat autoimmune diseases such as Goodpasture syndrome and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
The treatment is also used for certain neurological conditions and crises, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, and Multiple Sclerosis. Applications are also noted in hematological conditions such as Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Hyperviscosity Syndrome, as well as in pre- and post-transplant cases.
How the procedure is performed
In terms of how it is carried out, plasmapheresis shares similarities with dialysis. Two lines are inserted: one for drawing blood out of the body and one for returning it after processing. The outflow line uses needles or catheters placed in a large vein to direct blood toward a specialized machine. The blood then passes through filters and is separated into its cellular components and plasma. After processing, the blood mixture is returned to the body through the second line. The procedure therefore requires specialized equipment and specific medical management, as blood is removed from the body, processed externally, and then returned to the patient.
