Nurse using the Prismaflex system

The MARS System

Liver support for critically ill patients

The MARS System, in combination with the Prismaflex System, works to support the removal of harmful drugs and poisons from patients experiencing overdose or poisoning.

The system removes protein-bound and water-soluble toxins from the blood, such as ammonia, urea and aromatic amino acids.1 It thus reduces the amounts of toxins that reach the brain and are responsible for the development of hepatic encephalopathy (HE).2 

Compatible Products

Solutions

A membrane designed for individual patient needs

The MARS FLUX semipermeable membrane is designed to remove both water-soluble and protein-bound drugs and poisons. The membrane’s pore size and properties allow size-selective clearance,  while retaining other important blood components, such as clotting factors, blood cells, hormones and essential proteins.3

Close-up of MARS memebrane

When the liver fails: liver support through extracorporeal toxin removal

With the MARS system, the blood in the extracorporeal circuit is pumped through the specialized MARS FLUX filter. Protein-bound and water-soluble substances pass through the membrane by diffusion and convection into the albumin-enriched dialysate. The albumin dialysate is then regenerated. It passes through the diaFLUX filter in the Prismaflex system to remove water-soluble substances, and continues through the MARS adsorbers, which remove the albumin-bound lipophilic substances, such as drugs and poisons. The MARS treatment kit comes with the MARS FLUX, diaFLUX, adsorber cartridges and tubing packaged together.3

Illustration of extracorporeal toxin removal
“

When a patient comes in from a drug overdose or from a poison that’s killing the liver cells, albumin dialysis using the MARS therapy helps me to stabilize my patient, and gives them the chance to recover. If you have a dialysis service, you can have MARS up and running very easily.

Tarek Hassanein, MD

Established first MARS program in the US; over 500 patients treated with MARS.

Related products

Important Safety Information

Please click here for important safety information.

Vantive, MARS and Prismaflex are trademarks of Vantive Health LLC or its affiliates.

References

  1. Mitzner SR, Stange J, Klammt S, Peszynski P, Schmidt R. Albumin dialysis using the molecular adsorbent recirculating system. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2001;10(6):777-783.

  2. Hassanein TI, Tofteng F, Brown RS Jr, et al. Randomized controlled study of extracorporeal albumin dialysis for hepatic encephalopathy in advanced cirrhosis. Hepatology. 2007;46(6):1853-1862. 

  3. Vantive Health LLC. MARS Operator’s Manual. 2025. Internal Documentation.