Year: 2005
Type: review
Abstract: F ulminant hepatic failure (FHF), synonymous with acute liver failure, is a rare liver disorder that often leads to devastating consequences.It is one of the most challenging gastrointestinal emergencies encountered in clinical practice and encompasses a pattern of clinical symptoms and pathophysiological responses associated with the rapid arrest of normal hepatic function.The syndrome is defined by the sudden onset of hepatic encephalopathy in an otherwise healthy individual, often in association with coagulopathy, jaundice and multisystem organ failure.Until recently, FHF carried a very high mortality rate (widely reported to be in excess of 80%) 1 ; however, with an improved understanding and recognition of the syndrome, more aggressive medical therapy, intensive care monitoring.and the advent of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) as a treatment option, survival rates have improved considerably. 2 This article reviews the topic of FHF in the form of a series of clinically relevant questions designed to allow the clinician to gain a comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of this important disease entity.
Source: Liver Transplantation
DOI: 10.1002/lt.20435
Authors: David A. Sass, Obaid A. Shakil
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1978714836