title: Molecular adsorbent recycling system in treating patients with acute liver failure: a bridge to liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute liver failure is still a life-threatening disease although it can be treated by liver transplantation. This study was conducted to assess the molecular adsorbent recycling system (MARS), which may bridge acute liver failure patients to liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical indexes and other clinical data were analyzed of 8 patients with acute liver failure, who had been treated by MARS for 34 times and subsequent Piggyback liver transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment with MARS, the levels of transaminase and total bilirubin decreased markedly, but coagulation function remained unimproved. All patients survived and discharged from the hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MARS is effective in bridging patients with acute liver failure to liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Medical College of Nanjing University; Hepatobiliary Institute of Nanjing University; Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute of Nanjing, Nanjing 210000, China. dingyitao@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yi-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Qing-Xiang
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yu-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Yi-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016060:Sorption Detoxification; D013997:Time Factors; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000637:Transaminases; D001663:Bilirubin