Title: A bio-artificial liver reactor evaluation method

Authors: Ahmad Sarfaraz; Robert Bonk; Kouroush Jenab

Addresses: Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8332, USA ' Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8332, USA ' Society of Reliability Engineering-Ottawa, 812-761 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Abstract: This study reports a method for evaluating the risk and safety associated with a Bio-Artificial Liver (BAL). The methods of making Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) have been developed in order to deal with the uncertainty. AHP has been frequently used to quantify preference relationships and aid decision making. The use of preference relationships in decision-making processes is a standard technique. Here, the use of FAHP is proposed as an evaluation method for the selection of reactors in a type of medical device known as BAL. Six BAL-support system reactors are evaluated using five criteria: safety, scalability, cell growth environment, handling and the ability to mimic native liver function. The six different BAL bio-reactor types were evaluated by three separate stakeholders. FAHP method is used to combine the different stakeholder's evaluations and rank the BAL systems for use as a temporary liver function replacement device for patients awaiting liver transplant.

Keywords: fuzzy AHP; analytical hierarchy process; FAHP; multicriteria decision making; MCDM; liver transplants; BAL; bio-artificial liver; reactor selection; risk assessment; safety evaluation; bioreactors; temporary liver function; function replacement devices.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2014.059055

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2014 Vol.14 No.1, pp.1 - 12

Received: 05 Oct 2013
Accepted: 30 Nov 2013
Published online: 16 Oct 2014 *

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