[Initial clinical experience with the use of an auxiliary liver device]

The authors developed an artificial liver apparatus that comprised 2 running classifiers of blood or one running classifier and mass exchanger. The functionally active link of the apparatus is a suspension of living isolated xenohepatocytes obtained from the liver of pigs weighing 18-20 kg by a combined enzymatic and mechanical procedure. More than 100 in vivo laboratory experiments and 30 operations were performed in 20 patients with acute and chronic hepatic failure. Three patients died, the remaining showed significantly better biochemical parameters of blood and full recovery or stable remission.