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The Artificial Liver

The Artificial Liver. Thaeje Shanker BME 181. THE LIVER. One of the most complex organs in the body. The only organ that can regenerate itself. Functions: Filtering blood Produce cholesterol Produce hormones Stores glycogen Stores vitamins

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The Artificial Liver

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  1. The Artificial Liver Thaeje Shanker BME 181

  2. THE LIVER • One of the most complex organs in the body. • The only organ that can regenerate itself. • Functions: • Filtering blood • Produce cholesterol • Produce hormones • Stores glycogen • Stores vitamins • Produce the necessary biochemicals for digestion

  3. LIVER DISEASE • Affects more than 30 million people in the US • Affects every 1 in 12 Americans • Causes: • Obesity • Alcohol • Hepatitis B/C • Toxins • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) • Cancer

  4. TREATMENT • The most effective treatment of liver disease is a liver transplant. • Since liver transplants have a long wait list, the role of an artificial liver would be to sustain life until the transplant is complete or until the liver can regenerate itself.

  5. VITAL THERAPIES • Vital Therapies company has created the first cell-based, artificial liver designed to stabilize liver function until a transplant. • Product is called ELAD, which stands for Extra-corporeal Liver Assist Device. • Device does not substitute all functions of the liver • ELAD is able to process toxins, synthesize proteins, and give a longer survival time until transplant.

  6. ELAD • ELAD system is an external machine that can support liver function up to thirty days. • Consists of four cartridges, a glucose pump, and a dialysis type pump. • Cartridges are lined with human liver cells (Hepatocytes) that were derived from a human liver tumor and grown in the cartridges. • The liver cells can perform metabolic functions and the cartridges last up to seventeen days.

  7. HOW IT WORKS • 1) The Dialysis pump takes in blood from the patient and separates the plasma out of the blood. • 2) Then the plasma runs through the cartridges. The cells in the cartridges filter the toxins out of the plasma and produces proteins. • 3) Then the plasma goes to the glucose pump, where glucose is added to the plasma. • 4) Last, the plasma is returned to the patients bloodstream

  8. ELAD SYSTEM

  9. CURRENT EXPERIMENTS • September 2012- Vital Therapies announced that it would start three pivotal phases in the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The phases would involve patients with alcohol hepatitis seeking a liver transplant. • Phase 1 has already begun, with the other two phases to take place next year. • If the company is successful with these phase research trials, the device could most likely launch by the end of 2016.

  10. REFERENCES • http://www.vitaltherapies.com • http://medcitynews.com/2012/11/supported-by-an-86-million-round-first-bio-artificial-liver-moves-toward-pivotal-trials/ • http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28981937/#.UUX7Cxyd6xU

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