Appointments

How to get an appointment

You can ask your hospital doctor or nurse specialist to refer you.

We'll book your appointment after a consultant reviews your referral.

If you have not received an appointment, please email [email protected].

Changing or cancelling your appointment

Email: [email protected]

Phone:

• 07562 171025
• 07842 302746
• 020 7188 7188, extension 53867

Before your appointment

Drink plenty of water 1 to 2 days before your treatment. Aim for at least 2 litres, or more. This is to reduce the risk of feeling faint or dizzy during your treatment. 

Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time. 

During your appointment

ECP is done over 2 days (1 cycle) at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks. The number of cycles you need depends on your condition and your response to the treatment. We'll discuss this with you at your assessment appointment.

When you arrive, you'll sit in a comfortable chair. You'll need to do a blood test on the first day of each cycle. This is to monitor your treatment progress, and to check your kidney and liver. We also check that your blood count is suitable for treatment. 

Before starting treatment, we'll take your: 

• blood pressure
• temperature
• heart rate

A nurse will insert a cannula into your vein. This is connected to the machine by a thin tube. If your veins are suitable, you will have 1 cannula inserted into each arm. One cannula will draw your blood, and the other will return the blood to your body. This is known as double needle node. 

If needed, we can do the procedure with 1 cannula, this is known as single needle node. 

Some patients are unable to have a cannula, so another option is to have a Hickman line inserted instead. This will usually be located in your lower neck or upper chest area. The line will then be left in place throughout treatment. 

Your blood goes through the machine to remove some of the white blood cells. These are then treated with a medicine called psoralen, making them more sensitive to UVA light. The white blood cells are exposed to UVA light to destroy the abnormal immune cells. The treated cells are then added back into your vein.

During the procedure we also give you a blood-thinning medicine through your drip, to make sure your blood does not clot in the machine. 

The treatment usually takes 2 to 3 hours.

You may feel weak or dizzy during, or immediately after, the procedure. This is due to a slight drop in blood pressure. This is more common if you have not had enough fluids before the treatment.  

After your appointment

You should wear your sunglasses with UV protection when you're outside or under bright lights for 1 day after your procedure.

You should use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 on exposed skin, even on cloudy days. 

Side effects 

Side effects of the treatment can include:

• bruising and bleeding
• high temperature (fever) 
• tiredness 

Please contact us if you're unwell before your next appointment.

Blood results for ECP

To have ECP treatment, your exact blood results should be:

• Haemoglobin 94
• Haematocrit 0.270
• Platelet 25
• Neutrophils 1.0
• CRP lower than 10
• Lymphocytes 0.5

You will have a blood test on the first day of each cycle to check these. If your haemoglobin or platelets are low, you will need a  blood transfusion. We will reschedule your treatment after you have had your transfusion. 

Follow-up appointments

As well as your treatments, you will have follow-up appointments with your doctor to monitor your progress. Your doctor will discuss your:

• overall health, such as if you are in any pain or discomfort
• skin score, which is a thorough assessment of your skin health
• blood test results

They will also discuss the different treatment options for your condition. You can speak to your doctor if you have any questions throughout your treatment.