MARS® system takes over detoxification when the liver can’t 

Tackling the cause of hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious but reversible cerebral dysfunction triggered by severe acute or chronic liver failure. The brain function deteriorates because toxins normally removed by the liver accumulate in the blood and reach the brain. A variety of protein-bound substances plays a key role in the pathogenesis of HE.

The clinical course of acute on chronic liver failure is that of progressive multi-organ failure, including acute renal injury requiring CRRT.

Mortality is high as conventional care is often not sufficient to stabilize patients. There is a requirement for an efficient treatment which might avoid the need for intensive care or shorten the time in the ICU

Effective toxin clearance with the MARS® system

The extracorporeal Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) is used in the treatment of liver failure to enable native liver regeneration or as a bridge to liver transplantation. It removes protein-bound and water-soluble toxins from the blood such as:

• ammonia
• urea
• aromatic aminoacids
• manganese
• benzodiazepin-like substances

It thus reduces the amounts of toxins that reach the brain and are responsible for the development of HE.

The MARS system can be added to your patient’s organ support, as it utilizes well established CRRT and dialysis equipment.