[Artificial supporting methods for the treatment of acute organ failure]

Improvement of organ supporting devices clearly represents a major progress amongst the other numerous medical advances that permitted the development of intensive care. The areas in which these advances are the most consistent are multiple. The most well-established progresses concern respiratory support (including non invasive ventilation, prone positioning, nitric oxide administration, and possibly partial liquid ventilation), mechanical circulatory support and continuous renal replacement therapies. Hepatic support programs are now in development and should lead to practical and safe systems in the short term. This evolution broadens the possibilities of intensive care but the use of these new techniques seriously requires a consistent ethical approach.