Systems and methods for treating chronic liver failure based on peritoneal dialysis

Abstract

An artificial liver system for treating liver failure includes a reservoir to provide albumin-containing dialysis fluid to the patient's peritoneum, an implantable device including a pump to pump the fluid from the peritoneum to the bladder via respective catheters, control circuitry, battery and transceiver; a charging and communication system configured to periodically charge the battery and communicate with the implantable device to retrieve data reflective of the patient's health; and monitoring and control software, suitable for use with conventional personal computers, for configuring and controlling operation of the implantable device and charging and communication system. The monitoring and control software allows a treating physician to remotely adjust the volume, time, and frequency with which fluid is pumped from the peritoneal cavity to the bladder based on the data reflective of the patient's health.

Description

technical field [0001] The present application relates to devices and methods for removing toxins and waste products from the body according to peritoneal dialysis. Background technique [0002] Liver failure is a symptom caused by the inability of the liver to perform its function adequately. Liver failure can be acute, e.g., resulting from an acute disease such as acute viral hepatitis or toxic hepatitis, or it can be chronic (chronic liver failure, or "CLIF"), e.g., from alcoholism, hepatitis B or C Hepatitis, or fatty liver disease. CLIF is by far the most common expression of liver failure, and is commonly associated with cirrhosis in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue and fails to adequately cleanse the blood of toxins and waste products. CLIF is commonly associated with the failure of several other organs, including the cardiovascular system, brain, kidneys and adrenals, as well as immune defense mechanisms against endogenous and exogenous bacteri...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0011] Although the system described in Curtin avoids the need for frequent hospitalizations and improves patient convenience, dialysis is still performed outside the body, requiring periodic replacement of cassettes and periodic draining of peritoneal solution that has been added from the patient's body by reverse osmosis Excessive fluid and prone to contamination by pathogens not captured by the bacterial filter because the pathogens are small enough or do not circulate through the filter

Furthermore, for ALSS and previously known peritoneal dialysis, Curtin's system may not be implemented until the patient is in a more advanced stage of CLIF, and thus the improved life expectancy is less likely to be achieved

In addition, the treating physician's involvement may be relatively frequent since it is based on office visits, so that the physician may not be aware of, nor in place to address changes in the patient's health immediately

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