title: The "Plateau" Phenomenon of Stepwise Extracorporeal Albumin Dialysis Bispectral Index Hepatic Encephalopathy Recovery.
abstract: The Bispectral Index™ monitor, an electroencephalographic-derived parameter, can quantify hepatic encephalopathy cerebral function recovery and differentiate between West Haven grades 1 to 4. I report a very peculiar "plateau" phenomenon of 3 clear distinct plateaus of stepwise albumin dialysis Bispectral Index hepatic encephalopathy recovery during an 8-hour Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System™ (MARS™) liver-assist extracorporeal detoxification, manifesting in conjunction with 3 West Haven grade recoveries. In the patients, I observed recovery of cerebral function after hepatic encephalopathy as a series of plateaus with abrupt transitions between the plateaus, rather than the gradual recovery I anticipated.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dahaba
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016060:Sorption Detoxification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins