title: The critically ill liver patient: fulminant hepatic failure.
abstract: Fulminant hepatic failure is a challenging medical condition that requires intensive care management to prevent-major complications (cerebral edema, infections, and multi-system organ failure) and assistance from a liver transplant team when it is believed that liver regeneration is unlikely. Unfortunately, there are no specific medical therapies or devices to correct all of the functions of a liver. N-acetylcysteine is used for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose, but for most other causes of fulminant hepatic failure therapy is supportive care. This case illustrates many of the problems that are encountered during medical management of fulminant hepatic failure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, UAB Liver Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Liver Center, 1918 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294-0005, USA. bmcguire@uab.edu
authors.forename: Brendan M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000506:poisoning*; D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000506:poisoning*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016638:Critical Illness; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000111:Acetylcysteine