Fulminant hepatic failure, a life threatening condition induced by massive hepatocellular necrosis may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of this condition, associated with advances in intensive care management and liver transplantation have improved outcomes. This review describes recent advances in the management of fulminant ...

Values for total lactate dehydrogenase (LD, EC 1.1.1.27) and LD isoenzyme-5 were determined in serum of 106 patients with benign hepatic disorders, 54 of whom had acute liver disorders, either acute hepatitis (39 patients) or acute circulatory disturbances (15 patients). Fifty-two had chronic hepatic disorders, either cirrhosis (25 patients) or chronic right heart failure (27 patients). Overall...

64 Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) or Portosystemic encephalopathy (PSE) in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) such as cirrhosis of the liver is a reversible and recurrent disorder of neurological function caused by liver disease or portosystemic shunting of blood or both. In this article only hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in chronic end-stage liver disease (ESLD) will be discussed. Hepatic encephalopath...

Although hepatic dysfunction has been described among adults with typhoid, there are few reports of significant hepatic functional impairment in children with typhoid. Of 355 children with culture proven typhoid seen at the Aga Khan University Hospital, hepatomegaly was noted in 118 (33%) and isolated right hypochondrial tenderness in 30 (8.5%). The liver function tests were normal in 78% and 4...

The clinical picture secondary to amanita phalloides, which began with gastrointestinal complaints, advanced to fulminant hepatic failure in two days. Emergency liver transplantation was decided for the case of a 48-year-old male patient, who at the same time had renal failure and acute pancreatitis. Bridge treatment with plasma diafiltration was applied until the liver transplantation, which w...

Liver involvement is often observed in several hematological disorders, resulting in abnormal liver function tests, abnormalities in liver imaging studies, or clinical symptoms presenting with hepatic manifestations. In hemolytic anemia, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly are often seen mimicking liver diseases. In hematologic malignancies, malignant cells often infiltrate the liver and may demons...

It has been postulated that deficiency of a putative natriuretic factor, or resistance to such a factor, may contribute to sodium retention in fulminant hepatic failure. Levels of plasma human atrial natriuretic factor (h-ANF), plasma renin activity, and aldosterone concentration were measured in 33 patients with fulminant hepatic failure due to paracetamol overdose, and 12 healthy control subj...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine whether the lungs of patients with fulminant hepatic failure release lactate, and if so, whether this release relates to systemic lactate concentration or acid base status. Another objective was to examine the accuracy of lactate flux calculations in critically ill patients. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING The ICU of a major teaching hospital. ...

Early diagnosis permits preventive therapy to preempt development of organ damage. In all diagnosed patients, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, pharmacologic therapy is lifelong, and maintenance treatment to prevent copper toxicity is mandatory. Patients with either fulminant hepatic failure or hepatic insufficiency unresponsive to medical therapy should be considered for orthotopic liver tran...