Introduction - Microsurgery: Advances, Simulations, and Applications - page 27

graft membrane a biological bond is created between device and
native tissue.
1.3.1.3 Artificial kidney
Currently in Japan, artiicial kidneys are used for 0.2 million of
patients with renal failure. Also, 30,000 patients with renal failure
are newly starting dialysis therapy every year. Modern artiicial
dialyzers remove wastes and moisture from blood stream and
maintain ion composition and osmotic pressure of biological luid.
There are four kinds of methods of dialysis and are categorized into
the following:
1. Hemodialysis
2. Peritoneal dialysis
3. Hemoiltration
4. Hemodialysis iltration
Hemodialysis is the most popular way of treatment. Almost 100%
of dialysis membrane is composed of hollow ibers. The world's
irst artiicial dialyzer comprising hollow ibers was developed by
Cordis Dow (USA) in 1971. In 1975, TORAI developed the world's
irst artiicial dialyzer comprising PMMA hollow ibers. Currently
in Japan, NIPRO has top share of an artiicial dialyzer consisting of
hollow ibers.
1.3.1.4 Artificial liver
Liver is called the largest chemical plant in our body. Its function
involves the synthesis of proteins, processing of wastes, and
detoxiication of harmful substances. The recreation of these
functions is needed for an artiicial liver. However, detoxiication
is the only achievement in the development of artiicial liver. To
improve the function of detoxiication, bio-artiicial liver is mainly
investigated now. In the bio-artiicial liver, animal hepatocytes are
utilized to replace the function of human hepatocytes. In the United
States, clinical application of bio-artiicial liver to patients with acute
kidney failure has already started.
1.3.1.5 Artificial skin
Skin is the largest organ in human body and is the barrier that
protects us from external harms. Therefore, the partial loss or the
damage of the skin is a possibility of threat to our life. This is cause