Extracorporeal Assist — Liver, Spleen, and Lung

Abstract

Laboratory and clinical studies have been described demonstrating the metabolic efficiency of animal livers perfused with human blood. Such a preparation has been used to support patients in liver failure. Pig and calf spleens washed free of blood will also function when perfused with human blood. Preliminary attempts have been made utilizing the cellular and circulating antibodies from such a preparation for immunotherapy on five patients with metastatic malignant melanoma.

Laboratory studies are reported evaluating the use of pig and calf lungs as a biologic oxygenator for human blood.

Index-words::

• Liver
• lung
• spleen
• hepatic coma