Four years after the first US trial of an artificial liver, results from further tests are looking very promising.
Research into a device which could replace the many different functions of the liver has been ongoing for many years. A system, known as albumin dialysis, which can filter toxins in the way the liver does has been in development at the University of Michigan and was tried in humans for the first time four years ago.

Now the research team give an update on the albumin dialysis system. It's been tested in 20 patients all of whom were seriously ill with liver disease. Six of them went on to receive a much-needed transplant and three of this group survived. Two other patients recovered their liver function without needing a transplant. Now other hospitals are testing out the system.

There are almost 18,000 Americans desperately in need of a liver transplant at the current time. It looks as if the albumin dialysis system could well provide a 'bridge' to transplant - or even an alternative - for these people.