Non-biological liver support – improved

This dissertation examines how non-biological liver support systems can be improved for patients with acute or acute-on-chronic liver failure. It focuses on albumin dialysis, which removes toxins from the blood, and compares newer membranes and sorbents with the established MARS system. The main findings are that larger-pore membranes can improve removal of some albumin-bound toxins and certain cytokines, and that a newly developed micro-charcoal adsorbent performed better than standard MARS adsorbents by increasing albumin binding capacity and removing toxins more effectively.