[Organ replacement therapy - extracorporeal liver assist devices]. / Organersatzverfahren - Leberunterstützungsverfahren.

ABSTRACT

Liver failure is a disease with a high mortality rate. Often liver transplantation is the sole therapeutic option. On the one hand, liver support systems probably support the liver to allow regeneration, on the other hand they are an option to bridge for transplantation. This article gives an overview on the clinically used liver assist devices (molecular adsorbent recirculating system [MARS], Prometheus system, single-pass albumin dialysis [SPAD], plasmapheresis) and discusses the applications in liver failure.