Prognostic significance of indocyanine green clearance in critically ill surgical patients.

The plasma clearance rate of indocyanine green (ICG) by the liver was measured in 39 critically ill surgical patients, 5 of whom died. The clearance rate in survivors and nonsurvivors was 11.1 +/- 7.1% and 4.8 +/- 4.3%, respectively (p less than .001). We believe that indocyanine green clearance in the critically ill surgical patient is a simple, useful measure of hepatic function which is directly associated with outcome.