Hydrodynamic analysis of the miniaturized hemofilter for a wearable ultrafiltration device.

Background/aims: Using a small wearable hemofiltration device, heart failure (HF) patients may have the possibility of eliminating acute hemodynamic changes and the freedom from spending many hours attached to a large stationary treatment system.

Methods: We developed a miniaturized hemofilter for a vest-type wearable ultrafiltration device for the treatment of overhydration and congestive HF. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of the newly developed hemofilter based on dynamic CT imaging and in vitro evaluation of hydrodynamic properties.

Time-related analysis of metabolic liver functions, cellular morphology, and gene expression of hepatocytes cultured in the bioartificial liver of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam (AMC-BAL).

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie hepatic differentiation inside a bioartificial liver (BAL) device is obtained when functional, histological, and gene expression analyses can be combined. We therefore developed a novel cell-sampling technique that enabled us to analyze adherent hepatocytes inside a BAL device during a 5-day culture period, without the necessity of terminating the culture. Biochemical data showed that hepatocyte-specific functions were relatively stable, despite an increase in glycolytic activity.