New Use of Blood Cleaning Device Saves High-Risk Patients With Liver Failure

Severe acute liver failure (ALF), a rare but life-threatening illness, is associated with high death rates if patients don’t receive timely treatment or a liver transplant. Unlike the heart or the kidneys, there is no established mechanical device to replace the liver’s function. Now, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) researchers report that a device that removes toxins from the blood can also effectively provide a bridge to liver transplantation or buy time for a traumatically injured liver to heal, suggesting broader uses for the device than previously thought.

http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/absolutenm/templates/?z=2&a=3632

Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine News Headlines - August 23, 2017 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news