Liver Failure and ELAD indication

The liver performs a wide variety of vital functions including metabolic, regulatory, detoxification, and synthetic activities. The primary liver cell, the hepatocyte, is believed to be responsible for approximately 500 or more specific biologic processes. In addition, the liver serves as a reservoir for immune cells that clear the blood of pathogens. Consequently, the liver’s failure to perform its normal role can have devastating or fatal consequences. Causes of liver failure are numerous, and the condition is typically described in terms of rapidity of onset.