High-permeability membrane hemodialysis and hemofiltration in acute hepatic coma: experimental and clinical results.

A high-permeability polyacrylonitrile membrane was used for hemodialysis in experimental animals with induced liver ischemia and for acute treatment of 39 patients with fulminant hepatic failure. Measurements were made of amino acids and other relevant compounds; nine patients survived. In long-term studies, the polyacrylonitrile membrane was used for hemofiltration in ten clinical cases of fulminant hepatic failure and coma. Five patients, including two pregnant women, survived.