Patent ID: 8329457

Claim:
A bioartificial liver system comprising a fixed-bed bioreactor packed with gel beads containing hepatocytes of a mammal, a plasma reservoir which is in fluid communication with the bioreactor, a plasma separator which separates plasma from blood and supplies the plasma to the bioreactor, an efflux chamber which receives the plasma from the bioreactor and is equipped with (i) a first connecting line connecting the efflux chamber to the top of the plasma reservoir for supplying the plasma from the efflux chamber to the plasma reservoir, and (ii) a second connecting line which connects the efflux chamber and the upper air space of the plasma reservoir and has a vertical height of 4 to 61 cm, and a ventilation filter which is in contact with atmosphere and is provided at the top of the plasma reservoir, wherein the bioreactor receives plasma from the plasma separator and from the plasma reservoir, wherein the plasma reservoir is located at a position higher than the bioreactor and supplies the plasma received from the efflux chamber to the plasma separator and to the bioreactor, and wherein the pressure applied to the bioreactor is 3 to 45 mmHg.