Development of a novel artificial liver support system.

Background/introduction: Artificial liver support treatment is a promising alternative to liver transplantation. An ideal artificial liver support system (ALSS) should be a combination of a nonbiological liver (NBL) device and a bioreactor based bioartificial liver (BAL). Material and methods: A novel ALSS which can not only fulfill toxin-removal functions of NBL but also provide biotransformation and synthetic functions of BAL is constructed. The unique dual-chamber reservoir can improve the efficiency of material exchange. The funnel-shaped fluidized bed bioreactor can provide an ideal physiological environment for hepatocytes. Quick bubble handling function improves the security during treatment. The software design provides error correction function. Our control center is an industrial personal computer and most components are integrated via the RS485 buses. The whole control system consists of three parts: a pump drive module, a sensor network and a human-machine communication interface. To verify our design, we test the system on miniature pigs. Results: The system runs normally in all treatment modes and meets the clinical requirements. Functions of all components are verified. Conclusions: The system provides a reliable research platform for artificial liver support treatment. © 2011 IEEE.