Medical bioartificial liver

Mazariegos, G.. Kramer, D.. Lopez, R., Shjakil, A., Rosenbloom, A., DeVera, M., Giraldo, M., Grogan, T, Zhu. Y. Fulmer, M., Amiot, B., Patzer, J. Safety observations in phase I clini cal evaluation of Excorp medical bioartificial liver support system after the first four patients. ASAIO J. 47, 471, 2001. 

There are artificial liver support devices available commercially with some evidence of efficacy with regard to secondary outcomes, such as improvements in encephalopathy and nephropathy, but no single device has clearly demonstrated convincing improvements in survival. Bioartificial liver systems continue to offer promise but are still in clinical trials. Systematic reviews combining the outcomes from several support devices have suggested reductions in mortality in AOCLF when compared to standard medical therapy, but a recent review evaluating more modern support devices found a benefit only in ALF. A number of large, multicenter randomized studies are currently underway. 

Examples of medical textiles used in extracorporeal medical devices include the use of hollow fibres and membranes (made om polyester, polypropylene, silicone, viscose) for production of bioartificial organs, such as the kidneys, liver and lungs. 

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