Clinical trial results published last week describe a novel medical device that, in a 10-patient pilot, showed remarkable success at rescuing people from multiorgan failure caused by acute-on-chronic liver failure.
All 10 patients had been officially listed for liver transplant but were delisted when their clinical condition deteriorated considerably amid multiorgan failure. They all underwent treatment on the new device and became healthy enough to discontinue supportive measures and be relisted for transplant.
Half ultimately received a lifesaving liver graft or spontaneously recovered (one patient), while the other five died due to the lack of available donor organs.
