[Multiple organic replacement in intensive care medicine seen from anaesthesiological view (author's transl)]

Additional effective methods have to be studied for in order to improve further the treatment of life threatening conditions which are accompanied by reversible breakdown of organic functions. The development and the recent state of different technical and biological replacement functions are presented and their advantages and disadvantages are described. Temporary multiple organic replacement (lung, kidney, liver) by way of peripheral vessels offers a therapeutic procedure capable of development. This procedure is based on the knowledge that in different endogenous and exogenous intoxications, and also after shock symptomatology generally, several vital functions are simultaneously disturbed or become acutely insufficient. This coincidental breakdown requires a simultaneous, effective, multilateral therapy. First partial successes by means of equipment for multiple organic replacement are critically analysed and conclusions for further improvement of its function are discussed.