Neurologic improvement of patients with hepatic failure and coma during sorbent suspension dialysis.

Fifteen patients with acute deterioration of liver function, high serum ammonia, and an average coma level of 3.9 (of 4) were treated for 8-12 hrs daily with a system that uses the membranes of a cellulosic plate dialyzer to pump blood through a single access at 200-225 ml/min, and includes a sorbent suspension as dialysate. Neurologic status of the patients was declining before treatment, but significantly improved during each treatment and over the course of 1-12 (average, 4) treatments. Diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate normalized. For half the patients, treatment with the BioLogic-DT system served as a bridge to liver transplant or liver recovery.