Extracorporeal liver assist device: hope for the future

The liver has the unique property of regeneration in an acute setting if given enough time. Currently the only successful intervention for liver failure, both acute and chronic, is orthotopic liver transplantation. The increasing cost of transplantation and subsequent medical care, coupled with the decreasing availability of transplantable organs, magnifies the need for an alternative solution. A liver assist device that is metabolically similar to a native liver will advance the treatment regimen and decrease the need for surgery.