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Extracorporeal Liver Perfusion in the Treatment of Acute Hepatic Failure
Author(s) -
Tung L.C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1980.tb01870.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatic coma , extracorporeal , coma (optics) , liver disease , perfusion , prothrombin time , liver perfusion , liver failure , stage (stratigraphy) , surgery , bioartificial liver device , gastroenterology , hepatocyte , chemistry , paleontology , physics , optics , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Twenty‐three extracorporeal liver perfusions have been performed for the treatment of hepatic coma in 13 patients. No improvement was found in four patients, improvement in nine. Six of these nine patients recovered full conciousness. All seven patients with pre‐existent liver disease died. Of six patients without pre‐existent liver disease, three were discharged and are still alive. At present, extracorporeal liver perfusion seems to be a promising treatment for hepatic coma. It should be undertaken at stage IV and at stage 111 with increasing prothrombin time. Pre‐existent liver disease should be excluded beforehand by laparoscopy.