title: Liver transplantation rapidly stops cerebral ammonia uptake in fulminant hepatic failure.
abstract: This report describes the effect of liver transplantation on transcerebral ammonia uptake in a case of fulminant hepatic failure. A young woman with fulminant hepatic failure and coma received monitoring of transcerebral ammonia uptake before and after orthotopic liver transplantation. Before liver transplantation, median transcerebral ammonia uptake was 8 µmol/L. After liver transplantation, ammonia uptake decreased to 0 µmol/L. Fulminant hepatic failure is associated with transcerebral ammonia uptake, which is fully and rapidly corrected by liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Neil J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Glassford
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Warrillow
authors.forename: Rinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia