2019 Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 33-35
Acute liver failure, which has an extremely poor prognosis due to its progressive nature, is a reversible disease characterized by a high degree of liver dysfunction brought on by widespread hepatocellular necrosis and liver regeneration failure. Artificial liver adjuvant therapy, used in treating acute liver failure, can play an important bridging role until liver regeneration or transplantation can occur. In Japan, artificial liver adjuvant therapies are regularly conducted through plasma exchange (PE) in combination with hemodiafiltration. In our facility, artificial liver adjuvant therapy is conducted using plasma filtration with dialysis (PDF). PDF is a blood purification therapy in which a simple PE is performed using a selective membrane plasma separator while the dialysate flows on the outside of the hollow fibers. Every year, numerous patients suffering cardiac disease are treated in our institution, with unstable circulation being a common factor in many of these cases. Consequently, cPDF (continuous PDF), which lasts for 24 hours, is used in artificial liver adjuvant therapy. Herein, we report a case in which portal vein thrombus occlusion occurs during surgery leading to liver failure, hepatic blood flow was retained through thrombectomy therapy and cPDF was employed successfully in preventing further liver deterioration.
