title: Neurologic improvement of patients with hepatic failure and coma during sorbent suspension dialysis.
abstract: Fifteen patients with acute deterioration of liver function, high serum ammonia, and an average coma level of 3.9 (of 4) were treated for 8-12 hrs daily with a system that uses the membranes of a cellulosic plate dialyzer to pump blood through a single access at 200-225 ml/min, and includes a sorbent suspension as dialysate. Neurologic status of the patients was declining before treatment, but significantly improved during each treatment and over the course of 1-12 (average, 4) treatments. Diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate normalized. For half the patients, treatment with the BioLogic-DT system served as a bridge to liver transplant or liver recovery.
authors.affiliation: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Makowka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D002482:Cellulose; D005260:Female; D006464:Hemoperfusion / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011517:Prothrombin Time
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D000641:Ammonia; D002482:Cellulose