title: [(Bio)artificial liver support: ready for the patient?].
abstract: In 2016, an intensive-care physician has at his disposal a number of artificial organs for the support of patients with organ failure. Examples are the artificial kidney and the heart-lung machine. Artificial livers are being developed for patients with severe liver failure whose lives can only be saved at the present time by a transplant with a donor liver. These artificial livers are based either on a device that removes toxic materials from the patient's blood with, for example, albumin dialysis, or make use of bio-reactors filled with functioning liver cells, the so-called bio-artificial liver. In theory, the bio-artificial liver has the greatest potential to increase life expectancy. The results of clinical studies are also very promising. They are not yet sufficient, however, to permit general clinical use.
authors.forename: R A F M
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Chamuleau
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019164:Liver, Artificial